GPO Partners With University Of Iowa To Preserve Historic Collection

Press Release from GPO:

GPO PARTNERS WITH UNIVERSITY OF IOWA TO PRESERVE HISTORIC COLLECTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 5, 2011
No. 11-57

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is partnering with the University of Iowa Libraries to preserve and make available in digital format historic Government-issued posters from pre-World War II to the 1990s. The University of Iowa Libraries is providing public access to the collection of 1,500 posters promoting services, programs, and initiatives by Government agencies. The University of Iowa Libraries is part of GPO’s Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), which provides public access to published information of all three branches of the Government through partnerships with more than 1,220 libraries nationwide. GPO is providing back-up support for the digital poster collection; in the event that the University of Iowa Libraries cannot provide access, GPO will make the digital poster collection available on the agency’s Federal Digital System (FDsys), a one-stop site to authentic, published Government information.

Link to digital poster collection: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/gpc/index.php

“GPO’s mission of keeping American informed is demonstrated through the agency’s partnerships with more than 1,200 libraries nationwide and our joint effort to make Government information available to the public,” said Public Printer Bill Boarman. “As GPO celebrates its 150th anniversary, we recognize the importance of history and preserving history for future generations and that is why GPO is thrilled to work with the University of Iowa Libraries to preserve and make available this historic collection.”

“GPO is excited to partner with the University of Iowa Libraries to preserve and protect the future of this historic collection,” said Superintendent of Documents Mary Alice Baish. “As we embrace the new digital age, GPO is seeking partnerships with libraries nationwide in order to safeguard historic collections and provide the American people with permanent public access to Government information.”

“I’m delighted that this previously hidden collection is now available to anyone with an Internet connection. These posters often represent a graphic documentation of priorities of a given presidential administration or reflect social culture at a discrete point in time,” said Marianne Mason, Federal Information Librarian University of Iowa Libraries. “Nearly all federal agencies, both past and present, have produced social marketing posters including the Works Project Administration, War Mobilization Office, EPA, Dept. of Interior and NASA. This visual collection has the potential to complement academic course work in public policy, history, communication studies, and health sciences and to enhance outreach activities to primary and secondary (K-12) students. The Government Printing Office has been a steadfast partner in preserving rich digital collections from many libraries and, happily, The University of Iowa has joined that partnership.”

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