Notable Government Information Sources
- Census MaterialsThe Census Bureau tracks people, industries, religion, transportation, and many other topics. Explore Census resources on this guide. See the Historic Publications link.
- Congressional Reports & HearingsAs part of its duties, Congress documents and investigates significant American events. Hearings, Reports, and Documents capture primary sources during an event and sometimes decades later. This resource will help you search Congressional documents by keyword. A# login required.
- Environmental History ResourcesResearching an environmental event or topic related to public lands? Check out recommended resources on this guide.
- Foreign Relations of the United StatesIf you're researching a topic involving an international issue, this series of reports about diplomatic events may be useful (1860 to present).
- Military HistoryIf your topic explores events related to the American armed forces, browse this military history resource guide.
Digital Databases for Government Information
- GovinfoGovinfo is a site produced by the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO) that provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
- HathiTrust
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The HathiTrust is a shared digital repository, incorporating digitized content from some of the largest research libraries in the United States.Note: Login required for some collections.
- ProQuest CongressionalThis comprehensive database of U.S. Legislative information contains the full-text of bills (1989 to date), laws (1988 to date), the Federal Register (1980 to date), the Code of Federal Regulations, the National Journal (1980 to date), information on members of congress, committees, and congressional publications.
- HeinOnlineProvides access to more than 80 million pages of legal history available in an online, fully-searchable, image-based format.
- Government Information Database ListView all of the library's databases related to government information in one place. Perfect for digital access!
- Presidential Materials/RecordsPresidential materials after 1928 are maintained by libraries run by the National Archives. Some presidential materials are held by the Library of Congress. Click here for more information.
- National ArchivesThe National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Search their national catalog for digitized materials. Note, only a limited number of government records are preserved and even fewer are available digitally.
- Library of Congress Digital CollectionsFrom manuscripts to letters to maps, the Library of Congress's mission to document America persists in their digital collections. Explore resources online through this link.
Government Agency Websites & Searching the Web
- Agency Websites at USA.govThis comprehensive list of government agencies will help you find their presence on the web.
Tip:
Use Google to Locate Government Documents.
Google is a powerful way to access government documents posted online. If you know what you're looking for, customize your Google search: Use "site:.gov" to precede your search terms to find government agency sites that pertain to your topic. Placing your search terms in quotation marks may help as well.
Need Help with Government Information?
FDLP Designation
“This library is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law. (Title 44 United States Code)”
