Individual libraries and institutions have collected official gazettes for a long period of time. In its 50+ year history CRL has obtained, by means of deposit, area studies microfilm projects, direct subscription, and cooperative projects, a substantial collection of gazettes with certain strengths in Africa, Latin America, and South and South-East Asia. During the 1960's the Center participated in a cooperative filming project with The New York Public Library (NYPL) and The Library of Congress (LC ) and obtained all microfilm produced for that decade. From 1970-approximately,1995, NYPL and LC participated in a joint agreement to engage in preservation microfilming. Under the terms of that agreement LC was responsible for Latin America, and North Africa (Arabic speaking); NYPL was responsible for Western Europe, the Caribbean (English speaking), Sub-Saharan Africa, and sub-nationals. The New York Public Library, during the period of 1998-2000, progressively deposited to the Center’s collection, its substantial holdings of unique official gazettes.

In 1995, a new cooperative effort was initiated the goal of which was to establish a retrospective collection of record for official gazettes at The Center for Research Libraries. The collection would contain all national level gazettes for all countries; publication dates for materials held will be from inception through 1995. The primary focus of the collection will be to preserve materials on microfilm; unique hard copy will be retained until microfilm is acquired or produced. Work on this project was overseen by a Task Force. This Task Force represented a consortium of interest in, and major holders of, gazettes in the U.S..