In September 2025, the University of Missouri Library signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) to become a Preservation Steward for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual data publication, Agricultural Statistics. This commitment will help ensure that scholars across Missouri will have access to this vital printed set now and in the future. The Mizzou Library recently led the Midwest National Collections Service Area (NCSA) steering committee for the Federal Depository Library Program, working to establish printed document retention policy for 290 libraries in twelve states. Through the NCSA, it encouraged Preservation Stewardship as the most effective model to sustain this work in the Midwest.
The U.S. GPO produces and distributes information products for all three branches of the government, including the official publications of Congress, the White House, and other Federal agencies in digital and print formats. GPO provides digital access to this information at no charge through www.GovInfo.gov, and partners with approximately 1,100 institutional members of the Federal Depository Library Program to support access to physical materials. For more information, visit www.gpo.gov.