Passwords and Accounts Used by Depository Libraries

  • Last Updated: August 25, 2023
  • Published: January 29, 2009

There are several passwords and accounts used by Federal depository libraries. These include:

  • FDLP password (your library’s general depository password)
  • askGPO account
  • Z39.50 password
  • FDLP PURL Usage Report account
  • FDLP eXchange account
  • Homeland Security Digital Library username and password
  • Foreign Trade username and password

In order to help you better understand what the different passwords are used for, more detailed information about each of them is provided below.

 

Password or Account Used for More Information
FDLP Password The associated username is the depository library number.

The password is assigned by GPO and is case sensitive. 

This depository library password is typically used with applications in which administrative business is being conducted with GPO. It has also been known as the library’s “internal password”.

To locate your password, you can use the CGP Forgot Password feature. The depository coordinator listed in the FDL Directory will receive an email with the library’s FDLP password.

The depository coordinator or library director listed in the FDL Directory may request information about your library's password through askGPO. Choose the “Federal Depository Library” tile and then the “Other depository library question or issue” category.

askGPO account (Individual account)

Using askGPO services, including:

  • Submitting a question
  • Checking the status of a question
  • Reviewing GPO responses to your past questions
  • Updating information in the Federal Depository Library Directory
  • Submitting information through askGPO Webforms (for example, claims or training requests

If you do not have an askGPO account and need one, send a request, without logging in, through askGPO.

If you are seeking to log into your askGPO account, your username is the email address submitted in the account creation request.

You create and maintain your own password. 

If you are the coordinator at a depository library and want to request an askGPO login on behalf of another person working at your library, sign in to the site and use the “Request Login” link from the top menu.

The person designated as the depository coordinator has the ability to edit the Depository Coordinator First Name and Last Name fields in the Federal Depository Library Directory under “My FDL.”

If you are the new depository coordinator and the previous coordinator did not update the FDL Directory with your information, contact GPO through askGPO to ask us to update the Directory for you. This will trigger an email giving you a login to askGPO. You will then be able to log in and edit the Directory yourself.

Z39.50 password

Searching, retrieving, and downloading cataloging records from the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) via Z39.50

To locate your password, use the CGP Lost Password feature. You will receive an email with your internal password and your Z39.50 password.

For more information, see the Z39.50 article.

FDLP PURL Usage Report Account

Receiving monthly email alerts when a FDLP PURL Usage report is available for viewing and downloading

After “patterns” for identifying an institution’s network(s) are saved, whomever is listed as the contact in the Library Report Dashboard will receive a monthly email notifying them when the PURL usage report is available for download.

To change the name and email address of the alert recipient listed, the depository coordinator may submit an inquiry to askGPO with the name, email address, and depository library number.

For more information, see the Persistent Uniform Resource Locator (PURL): Explanation, Purpose, and Tracking Usage at Your Library article.

FDLP eXchange (Individual account)

Offering withdrawals of depository publications to other depository libraries.

Entering materials needed for your collection.

Receiving alerts when claims are made and matches are found.

To add or change account holders, see Creating Accounts.

If you are seeking to log into your FDLP eXchange account, your username is the email address submitted in the account creation request.

Users will be prompted to create passwords when they log on for the first time.

Passwords are created and maintained by users.

For questions, please see the FDLP eXchange page.

If you forget your password, click on Request new password.

Homeland Security Digital Library username and password

Accessing additional content in the Homeland Security Digital Library using a login and password

Depository libraries must register for enhanced access.

Access is available to certain library types through IP authentication and by username and password to other depository types. HSDL staff will provide the username and password.

Foreign Trade username and password

Accessing content in the Foreign Trade online resource using a login and password

Depository libraries must request the username and password. To request or if you have forgotten the username and password, log into askGPO and submit an inquiry using Category: Other Depository Library Question or Issue.  

The password is case sensitive.

 

Please note: 

  • There are some accounts that GPO does not automatically update when a library has a new coordinator. Please see information above about updating contacts in the FDLP PURL Usage Report and the FDLP eXchange
  • Once the Federal Depository Library Directory is updated with your contact information as a new coordinator, be on the lookout for emails from GPO:
    • You will be subscribed to the FDLP News and Events email service and start receiving these messages, if you hadn’t already signed up.
    • An email with askGPO account information will come from the askGPO system. 
    • Another email will be a “welcome to the FDLP” email, including other account and general FDLP information.

These passwords are no longer in use:

  • FDLP.gov login. Most forms that used to be accessible on the FDLP website are now available through askGPO.  The “Login” button on FDLP.gov is now used only by FDLP.gov website developers.
  • Depository library external password: These passwords were once used with applications controlled by other Federal agencies.