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Oregon Documents Depository Program

The Oregon State Library serves as a resource for Oregonians seeking government information. A guiding principle is this phrase from Oregon Revised Statute 357.001: 
"It is a basic right of citizens to know about the activities of their government, to benefit from the information developed at public expense and to have permanent access to the information published by state agencies."
The State Library runs the Oregon Documents Depository Program, which disseminates state publications throughout Oregon, and participates in the Federal Depository Library Program, which ensures that the American public has access to federal government information.
In 1907, the Oregon State Library began collecting publications of Oregon state government and distributing them to designated depository libraries around the state.  Today, the Oregon Documents Depository Program collects and preserves born-digital Oregon government publications through the Oregon Government Publications collection, and continues to collect and distribute physical publications.
All depository libraries are required to make their Oregon documents accessible to the public free of charge.  Depositories must retain all depository documents for a minimum of five years, except that superseded publications may be replaced by the newer edition.


Information for Libraries

Shipping lists, bibliographic records, and other tools can be found here.

Information for State Agencies

What is an Oregon Government Document?
The official definition is an "informational matter produced for public distribution or access regardless of format, medium, source or copyright, originating in or produced with the imprint of, by the authority of or at the total or partial expense of any state agency" (ORS 357.004 (3)(a)) and exempts some types of public records, including correspondence and interoffice memos.
Do I need to submit my publication to the Oregon Documents Depository Program?
ORS 357.090 requires agencies to submit public documents to the State Library. 
ORS 357.004 (3)(a) defines public documents as “informational matter produced for public distribution or access regardless of format, medium, source or copyright…”
From OAR 543-070-0000
  • (4) An issuing agency must provide to the State Library electronic versions of any public document produced by the issuing agency if the public document:
  • (a) Is required by law as a public report;
  • (b) Is required by law to be sent to the Governor, President of the Senate, or Speaker of the House;
  • (c) Contains substantial information that is intended to educate the public about the work of the issuing agency or describe the issuing agency's programs, overall activities, or policies;
  • (d) Is an annual report of the issuing agency's activities; or (e) Reports the results of a formal study or investigation conducted by or on behalf of the issuing agency.
Examples of items that may meet these criteria include: 
  • Annual and biennial reports to the legislature
  • Published research reports and studies
  • Environmental impact statements
  • Rules and regulations
  • Published standards
  • Handbooks, guides and manuals for public distribution
  •  Posters, pamphlets, and other published materials meant to describe the work of the agency or describing the agency’s programs
  •  Maps
  •  Newsletters for the public (not internal newsletters)
Items that are not intended for public distribution do not meet the requirements for Oregon Documents. 
Questions regarding the need to deposit specific documents not clearly addressed by this policy will be resolved by a joint decision of the State Library and the issuing agency.
For more information:
oregon.documents@slo.oregon.gov
503-930-3438