The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established by Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government's information. Since 1813, depository libraries have safeguarded the public's right to know by collecting, organizing, maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the federal government. The FDLP provides government information at no cost to designated depository libraries throughout the country and territories. These depository libraries, in turn, provide free local access to government information in an impartial environment with professional assistance. The Reinert-Alumni Library has been a depository library since 1964.
The Library's federal government documents collection, located on the upper level, is available to the public without restriction whenever the Library is open. The majority of the collection is available for check-out, subject to the same loan periods as the Library's general circulating collection. A small number of titles are for in-house use only, and are located in the Reference collection on the main level, with reference assistance available from the adjacent Reference Center. Government materials available electronically are accessible on all of the library's public computers. Members of the public who need to access government documents electronically may request a guest log-in at the Reference Center.