The California State Depository Library Program is a materials distribution program administered by the California State Library with the goal of making documents published by the California state government available to all California residents. Participating libraries are obliged to keep physical copies of distributed materials and make them available to patrons at no cost until such materials are authorized to be discarded by the California State Library.
The program was authorized by the California Legislature in the 1945 Library Distribution Act and is codified in the California Government Code. By law, California government agencies must send two copies of all publications they release to the California State Archivist. Such publications include "any document, compilation, journal, law, resolution, Blue Book, statute, code, register, pamphlet, list, book, report, memorandum, hearing, legislative bill, leaflet, order, regulation, directory, periodical, or magazine, in physical or electronic format," issued by the state government or prepared for the state government by independent third parties.
Municipal public libraries, public college and university libraries, and private college and university libraries are eligible apply to participate in the program. Institutions applying to participate in the program attest to be able to provide "adequate facilities for the storage and use of the publications" and make them accessible to patrons at no cost. A "complete depository" receives one copy of every physical state publication, while a "selective depository" receives one copy of physical state publications from agencies selected by the library.
Law libraries affiliated with courts or law schools may also apply to participate in the program, with such institutions' participation also requiring the maintenance of "basic legal documents," which include "legislative bills, legislative committee hearings and reports, legislative journals, statutes, administrative reports, California Administrative Code and Register, annual reports of state agencies and other legal materials published by the state."
As of September 2021, 102 libraries participate in the distribution program: 15 complete depositories and 87 selective depositories.[1]
| Institution | Type | City | Complete? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alhambra Public Library | Public library | Alhambra, CA | No | |
| Humboldt State University Library | College library | Arcata, CA | No | |
| Walter W. Stiern Library | College library | Bakersfield, CA | No | |
| Kern County Law Library | Law library | Bakersfield, CA | No | |
| Kern County Library System | Public library | Bakersfield, CA | No | |
| Berkeley School of Law Library | College law library | Berkeley, CA | No | |
| Doe Library | College library | Berkeley, CA | Yes | |
| California State University, Dominguez Hills Library | College library | Carson, CA | No | |
| Meriam Library | College library | Chico, CA | Yes | |
| Chula Vista Public Library | Public library | Chula Vista, CA | No | |
| Claremont Colleges Honnold/Mudd Library | College library | Claremont, CA | No | |
| UC Davis Mabie Law Library | College law library | Davis, CA | No | |
| UC Davis Shields Library | College library | Davis, CA | Yes | |
| El Centro Public Library | Public library | El Centro, CA | No | |
| Humboldt County Library | Public library | Eureka, CA | No | |
| Fremont Main Library | Public library | Fremont, CA | No | |
| Fresno County Public Library | Public library | Fresno, CA | Yes | |
| Henry Madden Library | College library | Fresno, CA | No | |
| Pollak Library | College library | Fullerton, CA | No | |
| Orange County Public Library | Public library | Garden Grove, CA | No | |
| Kings County Law Library | Law library | Hanford, CA | No | |
| California State University, East Bay | College library | Hayward, CA | No | |
| Inglewood Public Library | Public library | Inglewood, CA | No | |
| University of California, Irvine | College library | Irvine, CA | No | |
| Lancaster Library | Public library | Lancaster, CA | No | |
| Geisel Library | College library | La Jolla, CA | Yes | |
| California State University, Long Beach | College library | Long Beach, CA | No | |
| Long Beach Public Library | Public library | Long Beach, CA | No | |
| Los Angeles County Law Library | Law library | Los Angeles, CA | No | |
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Library | College library | Los Angeles, CA | No | |
| Court of Appeal Library, Second Appellate District | Law library | Los Angeles, CA | No | |
| Los Angeles Central Library | Public library | Los Angeles, CA | Yes | |
| Southwestern Law School Library | College law library | Los Angeles, CA | No | |
| Hugh & Hazel Darling Law Library | College law library | Los Angeles, CA | No | |
| Charles E. Young Research Library | College library | Los Angeles, CA | Yes | |
| Von KleinSmid Library | College library | Los Angeles, CA | No | |
| University of Southern California Law School Library | College law library | Los Angeles, CA | No | |
| Stanislaus County Library | Public library | Modesto, CA | No | |
| Napa City-County Library | Public library | Napa, CA | No | |
| Delmar T. Oviatt Library | College library | Northridge, CA | No | |
| Norwalk Regional Library | Public library | Norwalk, CA | No | |
| Oakland Public Library | Public library | Oakland, CA | No | |
| University of La Verne College of Law Library | College law library | Ontario, CA | No | |
| Butte County Library | Public library | Oroville, CA | No | |
| Pasadena Public Library | Public library | Pasadena, CA | No | |
| Contra Costa County Library | Public library | Pleasant Hill, CA | No | |
| California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Library | College library | Pomona, CA | No | |
| Shasta Public Libraries, Redding Library | Public library | Redding, CA | No | |
| A.K. Smiley Public Library | Public library | Redlands, CA | No | |
| Redwood City Public Library | Public library | Redwood City, CA | No | |
| San Mateo County Law Library | Law library | Redwood City, CA | No | |
| Riverside County Law Library | Law library | Riverside, CA | No | |
| Rivera Library | College library | Riverside, CA | No | |
| California State Archives | State archives | Sacramento, CA | Yes | |
| California State Library | State library | Sacramento, CA | Yes | |
| California State University, Sacramento Library | College library | Sacramento, CA | No | |
| Gordon D. Schaber Law Library | College law library | Sacramento, CA | No | |
| Sacramento County Public Law Library | Law library | Sacramento, CA | No | |
| Sacramento Central Library | Public library | Sacramento, CA | No | |
| John M. Pfau Library | College library | San Bernardino | No | |
| San Bernardino County Law Library | Law library | San Bernardino | No | |
| Samuel E. Andrews Library | College library | San Bernardino | No | |
| California Western School of Law | College law library | San Diego, CA | No | |
| San Diego County Public Law Library | Law library | San Diego, CA | No | |
| San Diego Central Library | Public library | San Diego, CA | No | |
| Malcolm A. Love Library (San Diego State University) | College library | San Diego, CA | Yes | |
| University of San Diego Legal Research Center | College law library | San Diego, CA | No | |
| California Judicial Center Library | Law library | San Francisco, CA | No | |
| Golden Gate University Law Library | College law library | San Francisco, CA | No | |
| San Francisco Public Library | Public library | San Francisco, CA | Yes | |
| J. Paul Leonard Library | College library | San Francisco, CA | No | |
| Hastings College of Law Library | College law library | San Francisco, CA | No | |
| Zief Law Library | College law library | San Francisco, CA | No | |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library | College library | San Jose, CA | Yes | |
| Santa Clara County Law Library | Law library | San Jose, CA | No | |
| San Luis Obispo City-County Library | Public library | San Luis Obispo, CA | No | |
| San Luis Obispo County Law Library | Law library | San Luis Obispo, CA | No | |
| Kellogg Library | College library | San Marcos, CA | No | |
| San Mateo Public Library | Public library | San Mateo, CA | No | |
| Orange County Public Law Library | Law library | Santa Ana, CA | No | |
| Santa Barbara County Law Library | Law library | Santa Barbara, CA | No | |
| Santa Barbara Public Library | Public library | Santa Barbara, CA | No | |
| Davidson Library | College library | Santa Barbara, CA | Yes | |
| Santa Clara University Orradre Library | College library | Santa Barbara, CA | No | |
| Santa Cruz County Law Library | Law library | Santa Cruz, CA | No | |
| Santa Cruz Public Library | Public library | Santa Cruz, CA | No | |
| McHenry Library | College library | Santa Cruz, CA | No | |
| Santa Maria Public Library | Public library | Santa Maria, CA | No | |
| Santa Monica Public Library | Public library | Santa Monica, CA | No | |
| Sonoma County Law Library | Law library | Santa Rosa, CA | No | |
| Sonoma County Public Library | Public library | Santa Rosa, CA | No | |
| Monterey County Free Libraries | Public library | Seaside, CA | No | |
| Green Library | College library | Stanford, CA | Yes | |
| San Joaquin County Law Library | Law library | Stockton, CA | No | |
| Stockton/San Joaquin County Public Library | Public library | Stockton, CA | No | |
| Thousand Oaks Library | Public library | Thousand Oaks, CA | No | |
| California State University, Stanislaus Library | College library | Turlock, CA | No | |
| Ventura County Law Library | Law library | Ventura, CA | No | |
| Library of Congress | National library | Washington, D.C. | Yes |