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with a reference librarian
We can help you:
Find or narrow a paper topic,
locate appropriate sources,
and more.
Email refdesk@augsburg.edu for an appointment
Librarian
U.S. Government Printing Office
While there are other sources of government documents online, the GPO is often the best place to start. FDsys. Many of the documents they provide are in both, but some are still only available on GPO Access.
GPO Access documents have their own search tools. FDsys, on the other hand, combines them all into one powerful search engine. You can browse the documents by collection, congressional committee or date. Or use the Advanced Search, which allows you to specify specific documents or search all of them at once.
Some of the GPO's offerings include:
- Code of Federal RegulationsWhile the United States Code is the official law of the country as written by Congress, it is usually up to the Executive Branch to determine how to implement the law. These are the rules used by Federal Agencies to do this, and are a good source for policy implementation.
- Federal RegisterThe official daily journal of the United States government. The Register, online since 1994, publishes executive orders, proposed rules, and other documents of government agencies. You can also use the old system here.
- Congressional RecordThe official record of the daily activities of the United States Congress. You can also search the Congressional Record at the Library of Congress' THOMAS site, which allows you to search by individual members of Congress.
- Core Documents of U.S. DemocracyIncludes the Constitution and other important historical documents.
- Catalog of U.S. Government PublicationsSearch for general publications by agency, title, subject, keyword and more.
Databases
Web Resources
- congress.govFormerly known as THOMAS, this site has information on many activities of Congress. You can track the progress of current bills, see the current activity of the House and Senate, search the Congressional Record, and find nomination information, treaties, and other resources.
- USA.gov
"The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal," this site can direct you to government information on just about any topic. Browse the categories (e.g., "Jobs and Education" or Health and Nutrition") or use the search box at the top of the page.
There is also a handy A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies.
- U.S. HouseThe website of the House of Representatives. Useful for finding information on individual congresspeople, including websites and contact information, their committee work, assignments, and more.
- U.S. SenateThe Senate's website. Useful for finding information on individual senators, including websites and contact information, their committee work, assignments, and more.
- United States Government ManualThe Manual is the essential guide to the Federal Government, with contacts and information for every department and agency.
- Congressional District MapsPrintable maps of congressional district boundaries in pdf and gif formats.
- Biographical Directory of the United States CongressA simple site for retrieving biographical information about members of Congress since 1774. Search by name, position, state, party, year, or Congress number.
- Supreme Court of the United StatesHere you can see the Court's current docket, argument transcripts since 2000, some Court opinions, and other information.
- Preview of United States Supreme Court CasesPublished by the American Bar Association and available through HeinOnline, this site provides pdf files of Merit and Amicus briefs of scheduled Supreme Court cases.
- FedStatsFind statistics by Federal agency, topic, or geography.
Books
We have a wealth of books covering the U.S. government, its history, and current issues. Possible searches could include:
- Constitutional Law
- Government Spending Policy
- Administrative Agencies
If your first search brings up too many irrelevant items, try using the Refine by Topic suggestions in the box on the left of the search results screen.
Here are some reference books that may be useful:
Guide to CongressCall Number: Reference JK1021 .C565 2008 v. 1-2An impressive resource that provides detailed descriptions of the history of the U.S. Congress, its various powers and procedures, and important issues that Congress faces (e.g., lobbying). Well-organized and easy to read, each section also includes extensive bibliographies for further reading.
Encyclopedia of the American Constitution by Call Number: Reference KF4548 .E53 2000A detailed guide to the Constitution and its relation to current and historical issues. Includes bibliographies with each entry and appendices that outline the creation of the Constitution itself.
Encyclopedia of the First Amendment by Call Number: Reference KF4770 .E53 2009 v.1-2A comprehensive reference work devoted to a few very important words. Here you'll find an overview of the First Amendment plus alphabetized entries on topics like "Book Burning", "School Vouchers", and important court cases. Look in the back of volume two for online First Amendment resources and a select bibliography.
Guide to the PresidencyCall Number: Reference JK516 .G83 2008 v. 1-2Like its Guide to Congress above, Congressional Quarterly's guide to the American presidency is a great, user-friendly tool. It's topics include the history of the presidency, the selection and removal process, the president's powers, and the agencies of the executive branch.
Economic Report of the President Transmitted to the CongressCall Number: Reference HC106.5 .A272 2009Yearly report on the current economic outlook.
The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions by Call Number: Reference KF4548.5 .O97 2009Over 400 entries on major cases. Justice nominations and successions since 1789. A topical index and suggestions for further reading. A solid resource on the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court Compendium: Data, Decisions, and DevelopmentsCall Number: Reference KF8742 .S914 2007An extensive collection of data on the Supreme Court. While there isn't much descriptive text, there are pages of tables detailing all aspects of the Court, including its history, its caseload, opinions, and justices. Look here for things like a chart on the "Ideological Values of the Justices, 1937-2006" (p.521).
How to Research Elections by Call Number: Reference JK1976 .M37 2000If you're doing a project on United States elections, this handy little book can be a big help. Covering all aspects of the research process, it discusses finding a topic, research strategies, using primary and secondary sources, and more. It includes an extensive bibliography that can help you find resources on campaigns, the media, voter participation, etc.
Encyclopedia of American Civil Rights and Liberties by Call Number: Reference KF4748 .E53 2006A useful guide to topics ("Extradition"), cases ("Dred Scott Case"), issues ("Defense of Marriage Act") and people ("Eugene Debs") related to civil rights issues. Look at the beginning of volume one for a list of entries, entries grouped by topic, and a list of included primary documents.