FAQs
What is the State Library?
The Wyoming State Library is a division of the Wyoming Department of Administration & Information. The mission of the Wyoming State Library is to serve state employees in information management, promote statewide library development, foster library cooperation, and provide reliable information to our customers. Additionally, we promote and support libraries around the state.
The State Library consists of a physical collection of State Publications, federal documents, trades publications, and current Wyoming newspapers. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
We also have a vast digital library called the Digital Collection Suite (DCS), which includes the Wyoming Trademarks, Wyoming Inventors, Wyoming Places, Wyoming Newspaper, Wyoming Legislation, and Wyoming State Publications websites. The DCS currently has over 958,000 files for you to access anytime, anywhere.
Why do you need State Publications?
By statute, we are required to house all State Publications in our depository (library). The statute [W.S. 9-2-3211 (c)] says the library requires a maximum of 7 copies of each publication.
2021 Wyoming Statute 9-2-3211: State librarian; appointment; qualifications; filing of state publications; deposit of designated documents; exchange of session laws.
(c) For purposes of maintaining a state publications depository system, up to seven (7) copies of each publication issued by a state officer, commission, commissioner or board of a state institution shall be deposited with the state library for distribution as follows:
(i) Three (3) copies to the state library permanent file;
(ii) Two (2) copies to the university library;
(iii) One (1) copy to the library of congress;
(iv) One (1) copy to the council of state governments; and
(v) The total number of copies and distributions may be modified at the discretion of the state librarian.
It's important that items are dispersed among different institutions and on digital databases so that nothing is permanently lost in the event of natural disasters, accidents, loss of an item, etc.
As of 2022, the current state librarian has modified the total for distribution copies to six (6)—one digital copy to add to our State Publications digital collection, and five physical copies to be distributed as follows: one to check-out to patrons and employees, one to keep on the shelf at all times, two to send to the University of Wyoming's collection, and one for the Library of Congress's collection.
What is a State Publication?
State Publications are any informational materials created by statute, or produced by total or partial state funds for public distribution. These documents are generally research-based such as reports and newsletters, not everyday marketing materials like brochures. If you're ever unsure if your document is a State Publication, reach out to us at (307) 777-6333 or send it to us and we'll be happy to help you determine its status.
View our "What can the State Library do for you?" handout here.
What are some examples of State Publications?
Agency/Board Newsletters
Annual Reports
Budgets and Budget Requests
Books, Journals, and Magazines created by a state agency or department
Reports by non-state agencies prepared on behalf of state agencies
What is not a State Publication?
Employee Directories
Memos/Letters
Inderdepartmental Communications
Training Manuals/Handbooks
Forms or State Records (birth certificates, land ownership records, driver's license information, etc.)
County or City Publications with no state agency interaction
Where can I find State Publications?
You can locate over 30,000 digitized items via the State Publications digital collection at www.publications.wyo.gov. We also have a vast physical collection of state publications at the Wyoming State Library itself. While we collect as many state publications as possible, our collection does have some gaps and we may not receive items immediately after they are published. For the most up-to-date information, we advise patrons to check that board or agency's website. For example, if you're looking for the current hunting regulations, we advise you to visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website directly.
If you're having difficulty locating a publication or aren't able to come into the library yourself, call our reference desk at (307) 777-6333 to speak with a reference librarian. It's our job to help you locate information, and we're happy to help!
Why should I care about State Publications?
These documents are useful not only for you to easily access again and again, but also to future state employees, citizens, researchers, and even the Wyoming Legislature. The State Library allows all citizens to access information about their government and provides access for state employees to do their jobs and further Wyoming's culture and operations.
Will you pay for the copies we send you?
No. It is your agency's/board's responsibility to provide adequate copies of your publications to the State Library.
When do I send in State Publications?
If your agency frequently publishes documents, we ask that you send your publications in once per month.
If your agency rarely publishes documents, we ask that you send your publications in as soon as they are finalized.
Where do I send State Publications?
Email PDFs to:
statepublications@wyo.gov
Mail or walk-in delivery to:
Wyoming State Library
2800 Central Ave
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Contact Us
Questions? Contact our main reference desk at (307) 777-6333 or statelibrary@wyo.gov, or email statepublications@wyo.gov to reach out to the State Publications Outreach Team directly.
Our Team
Anne Kuipers
State Publications Librarian
statepublications@wyo.gov
(307) 777-7281
Jessica Otto
Digital Initiatives Specialist
statepublications@wyo.gov
(307) 777-6337
Tips for Creating State Publications
Include the date (month and year) on a primary page in your document.
This way we know when the document was published, and employees and patrons can find the document with ease later on.
Include the author/s and agency that published the document.
Again, this is crucial information for posterity that also helps fellow employees and patrons find and use your publications.
Keep your titles as consistent as possible.
We know report titles change, but if they haven't, try to keep them as consistent as possible so we can organize them to the best of our ability for you to find.
Submit your digital publications as PDFs.
We are unable to accept .PNG, .JPG, .DOCX, and .XLS files. We can only use PDFs in our digital collection.
Library Resources for State Employees
GoWYLD.net online materials
WYLDCat Library Catalog
Request a Library Card on our website