Superintendent of Documents

The Superintendent of Documents (SupDocs) leads the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) in providing public access to Government information published by the U.S. Congress, Federal agencies, and the Federal courts. The SupDocs:

  • Focuses efforts on the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) in cooperation with Congress and GPO’s library partners.
  • Oversees the policy and strategy for GPO’s Library Services and Content Management and Publication and Information Sales business units.

The SupDocs is appointed by the Director, U.S. Government Publishing Office (44 U.S.C. § 1702).

Current Superintendent of Documents

Scott MathesonScott Matheson was named Superintendent of Documents in October 2022. As Superintendent of Documents, Matheson leads the Agency in providing public access to Government information published by the U.S. Congress, Federal agencies, and the Federal courts. Matheson will also focus on modernizing the Federal Depository Library Program in cooperation with Congress and GPO’s library partners. He also oversees the Agency’s Publication and Information Sales unit and GPO’s distribution warehouses in Colorado and Maryland. 

Matheson has over twenty years of experience in libraries working both directly with researchers and managing library staff. He began his career as the Depository Coordinator at the Lillian Goldman Law Library at Yale Law School then worked at the University of Colorado before returning to Yale University Library. More recently, he served as Associate Law Librarian for Technical Services at the Lillian Goldman Law Library.

Matheson is active in professional associations and has worked with the Preserving Electronic Government Information Project, which aims to ensure that “born-digital” web-based public information is preserved for future researchers. Matheson taught Government information for seven years at the University of Illinois’ Library School and represented the library community on GPO’s Depository Library Council, serving as chair from 2016–2017. He currently serves on the Director’s Task Force on a Digital Federal Depository Library Program, which will make recommendations on the evolution of this flagship public information program.

Matheson studied journalism at the University of Alaska and earned Law and Library degrees from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Connecticut.

List of All Superintendent of Documents

Name Start Date End Date
Scott Matheson October 11, 2022 Present
Laurie Beyer Hall October 16, 2017 October 10, 2022
Laurie Beyer Hall, Acting May 2, 2016 October 15, 2017
Mary Alice Baish January 20, 2011 April 29, 2016
Richard G. Davis, Acting March 1, 2007 January 19, 2011
Judith Russell January 6, 2003 February 28, 2007
Francis J. Buckley, Jr. December 1, 1997 December, 2002
Francis J. Buckley, Jr., Acting September, 1997 November 30, 1997
Wayne P. Kelley April, 1991 September, 1997
Donald E. Fossedal April 1, 1985 April, 1991
Donald E. Fossedal, Acting January 3, 1985 March 31, 1985
Michael F. DiMario March 7, 1983 January 2, 1985
Raymond Mason Taylor May 10, 1982 March 7, 1983
Raymond Mason Taylor, Acting April 1, 1982 May 9, 1982
William J. Barrett January 30, 1982 March 31, 1982
Carl A. LaBarre July 20, 1975 January 29, 1982
Wellington H. Lewis July 1, 1973 July 17, 1975
Robert E. Kling, Jr. December 22, 1970 June 30, 1973
Robert E. Kling, Jr., Acting June 13, 1970 December 21, 1970
Carper W. Buckley July 5, 1953 June 12, 1970
Roy B. Eastin August 1, 1949 July 4, 1953
Fred W. Cromwell June 16, 1945 July 29, 1949
Alton P. Tisdel June 1, 1921 June 1, 1945
John L. Alverson November 16, 1920 May 15, 1921
John L. Alverson, Acting May 24, 1920 November 15, 1920
Josiah H. Brinker May 1, 1914 May 23, 1920
Josiah H. Brinker, Acting December 2, 1913 April 30, 1914
Frank C. Wallace February 26, 1913 December 1, 1913
August Donath July 16, 1909 February 22, 1913
William Leander Post August 8, 1906 July 15, 1909
William Leander Post, Acting February 8, 1906 August 7, 1906
Louis C. Ferrell November 19, 1897 February 7, 1906
Francis A. Crandall March 26, 1895 November 17, 1897