Access to Government Information

Equitable access to official legal information—including laws, regulations, and court opinions—is essential to the legal information profession.

Federal Agency Appropriations

The federal government agencies responsible for the lifecycle of government information include the Library of Congress, the Law Library of Congress, the U.S. Government Publishing Office, and the National Archives and Records Administration. These agencies need sufficient federal funding to meet their important responsibilities to provide access to federal legal information and to preserve legal materials.

Fiscal Year 2023

Fiscal Year 2022

Federal Depository Library Program

The U.S. Government Publishing Office runs the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), which distributes print and digital government information to more than 1,100 participating libraries across the United States. Approximately 200 law libraries participate in the FDLP, providing public access to federal government information and federal legal materials.

Universal Citation

AALL’s Universal Citation Guide includes recommendations for universal citation rules for judicial decisions, statutes, and administrative regulations. The Universal Citation Guide contains AALL’s recommendations for universal citation rules for judicial decisions, statutes, and administrative regulations.

Other Issues

AALL works on other issues that promote access to government information, including increased online access to laws, regulations, and court opinions.