State Documents Center History

In 1978, the Sixty-seventh Iowa General Assembly passed a law that established a depository library center within the State Library of Iowa. The State Documents Center is charged with collecting and distributing state publications to depository libraries around the state.

The State Documents Center collects all state publications, in any format, and distributes them to libraries around the state and to the National Archives. Three permanent depository libraries (the State Library of Iowa, Main Library at the University of Iowa, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.) archive all of these documents. In addition, 41 Iowa libraries around the state receive and make available to Iowans a variety of the most useful and important state documents.

Changes in how documents are published have led the State Library to partner with the state’s Information Technology Enterprise to develop a permanent archive for electronic documents. Iowa Publications Online will ensure that Iowans have equal access to electronic state documents.

State documents can be found on the State Library's online catalog, Iowa Publications Online or on the Locator. Paper and other tangible documents can be borrowed from the State Library or through interlibrary loan. Records for electronic documents have links directly to the on-line resource. Many recent state documents can also be found on each state agency or state university’s web site.

Questions about Iowa state documents or the state documents depository program should be directed to the State Library’s main reference desk at 515-281-4102 or 1-800-248-4483.