LibGuides: Government Documents (United States): Home

Government Documents

Government documents contain a wealth of information on all subjects. Below are some books that can help with government documents. Federal government information is made available for free public use in federal depository libraries located throughout the United States and its territories. In Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the Hillman Library, University of Pittsburgh, are both federal depository libraries. Even though the University Libraries are not a federal depository, they still can provide you with a wealth of information. If you need help with government documents, don't hesitate to Ask Us.

Encyclopedia of the U.S. Census From the Constitution to the American Community Survey.
Also in print: Request from Offsite HA37 .U55 C66 2000
Dubester's U.S. Census Bibliography with SuDocs Class Numbers and Indexes
Also in print: HUNT REF-1 Z7553 .C3 C66 1996
CQ Press Electronic Library
Carnegie Mellon users only. Resources that can help you understand policies and workings of the U. S. government from explanations of particular legislation to encyclopedias specifically on the Supreme Court, etc.
United States Government Manual
Carnegie Mellon users only.
1935-present.

Databases

Catalog of U. S. Government Publications
1976-present. Finding tool for federal publications that includes descriptive records for historical and current publications and provides direct links to those that are available online. Users can search by authoring agency, title, subject, and general key word, or click on "Advanced Search" for more options, e. g. like searching Congressional Publications, Internet Publications, Serials, Historic Shelflist (1800s to 1992), etc.
Center for Research Libraries
Center for Research Libraries Catalog
Foreign government documents: several hundred thousand volumes of publications from the government agencies of more than 100 countries, including more than 1,750 official gazettes.
U. S. State Documents: more than a half million volumes of deposited and purchased monographic and serial publications of the U. S. state governments, including financial reports and research studies through 1950. CRL also maintains a collection of legislative journals through 1990.
FedWorld
Offers ways to search government web sites, reports, and databases

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports This link opens in a new window
Translations or transcriptions of intercepted radio broadcasts from foreign governments, official news services, and clandestine broadcasts from occupied territories
GPO This link opens in a new window
Carnegie Mellon users only.

HathiTrust
The HathiTrust a partnership of major research institutions and libraries working to ensure that the cultural record is preserved and accessible long into the future. There are more than sixty partners in HathiTrust (including CMU), and membership is open to institutions worldwide. While full access may not be available due to copyright limitations, many government documents are freely available or can be obtained through interlibrary loan after being identified here.

HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Legal research database, with numerous libraries covering congressional publications, law publications, treaties, etc.
Homeland Security Digital Library This link opens in a new window
Collection of documents related to Homeland Security from variety of sources including federal, state and local agencies
ICUD: Index to Current Urban Documents This link opens in a new window
Reports and research generated by local governments, civic organizations, and academic institutions; core of collection deals with budget, architecture and planning.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790. Search law reviews (option on front page) or select Political Science from the drop down Menu.
ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
Congressional materials ca. 1789-present. Full text of hearings, Senate and House documents, the U.S. Serial Set (a collection of U.S. Government publications compiled under directive of the Congress), legislative histories, committee prints, etc. Database Guide
ProQuest Statistical Insight This link opens in a new window
Thousands of statistical publications on all topics. Recent data is available here; earlier data is on microfiche in Hunt Library. Database Guide

Science.gov
Catalog containing descriptions of just those government web sites that are key entry points to government science and technology resources
SciTech Connect
Consolidates the contents of OSTI's Information Bridge and Energy Citations Database.
Senator H. John Heinz III Collection
The Senator H. John Heinz III Archives at the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries contain the congressional papers of the late Pennsylvanian John Heinz (1938-1991), a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1971-1976) and the U.S. Senate (1977-1991). The Heinz House of Representatives Papers focus on local and regional issues of importance to Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania as well as his committee service. The Heinz Senate Papers document his work on national issues, such as health care, retirement, international trade and finance, and the environment.

Session Laws Library This link opens in a new window
Session laws (from inception to present) of all 50 U.S. states as well as Canada, Australia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and the D.C. Register.

Thomas
Federal legislative information on the internet.

U.S. Declassified Documents Online This link opens in a new window
Provides access to previously classified federal records in the 20th and 21st centuries. Includes sensitive documents from all the presidential libraries and numerous executive agencies in a single, easily searchable database, including: intelligence studies, policy papers, diplomatic correspondence, cabinet meeting minutes, briefing materials, and domestic surveillance and military reports. Full-text searchable, includes filters by document type, issue date, source institution, classification level, and date declassified as well as other document characteristics.

USA.gov
The official U.S. gateway to all government information

Gray Literature

Engineering Grey Literature (USC Libraries)
GreySource
A Selection of Web-based Resources in Grey Literature
OSTI.gov (Office of Science and Technical Information)
OSTI's mission is to advance science and sustain technological creativity by making R&D findings available and useful to DOE researchers and the American people.

History Librarian

Charlotte Kiger Price

she/her

Contact:

On leave until Dec. 2023. For assistance in History, contact CMU Librarian Ashley Werlinich, liaison librarian for English, Drama, and temporary liaison for History. For assistance in Modern Languages, use our general feedback forms.

Subjects: History, Language & Linguistics

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