"This library is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law." (Title 44 United States Code)
What is the Federal Depository Library Program?
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 local, no-fee access to Government information in an impartial environment with professional assistance.
Government documents are publications published and distributed by the government rather than by commercial publishers. Documents include such commonly used titles as United States Reports, the United States Code, and the Code of Federal Regulations. They also include a wide range of both popular and obscure pamphlets, posters, treatises, annuals, maps and journals on every subject. Government documents can be valuable research sources and are often cited in legal literature. Though documents are still published in a variety of traditional formats, including paper, microfiche and CD ROM, more are being published daily on the Internet. (from Penn Law Library)
The majority of titles received via the FDLP program are incorporated into the general collection, using Library of Congress classification. There are some exceptions. Most of the House and Senate Reports and Hearings that the Law Library receives in print are housed in the government document collection using the Superintendent of Documents classification.