American Government
Overview
According to the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), 97% of federal U.S. government publications are born-digital, which means they are created in digital format for online viewing. Many of these documents are free of charge and available through the U.S. government’s various online sites, such as Congress.gov and GovInfo.gov.
Several subscription-based databases, including ProQuest Congressional and HeinOnline, provide full-text access to U.S. government documents and are available in many university and public libraries.
Did You Know
Under Title 17, Section 105 of the U.S. Code, works created by the federal government are generally in the public domain, and can be reused, reproduced, adapted, and distributed without permission.
Document Types
When conducting U.S. government research, it’s important to understand how the government is organized. This will help you determine the particular type of documentation needed for research. The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three co-equal branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch produces specific types of official documents, including administrative and regulatory agencies, which also produce their own documents.
