Ways to Search for Government Information

1. The Library Catalog lists many, but not all, government publications available at California State University, Northridge. Search by author, title, or subject.
2. Subject guides prepared by California State University, Northridge librarians
   • Government Information Page: Federal, State, Local and International sources
   • Government Reference Sources organized by broad subjects (crime, education, foreign countries, etc).
   • Los Angeles Government Sources
   • San Fernando Valley Statistics and Facts
   • Community Information by Zip Code
   • Digital U.S. Government Documents for History Students
   • Finding Census 2000 Data by Zip Code
   • Finding Census Tract Data on the Internet
   • Finding Census 2000 Data by Census Block
   • Finding Statistics & Federal Statistics Sites
   • Finding Statistics about Education
   • Information about Schools in California
   • Election Information
   • Exports and International Trade
   • Government Publications on Social Issues
   • Government Statistics for Social Work Research
   • Patents, Trademarks, and Copyright
   • Tax Forms and Tax Information
   • What is the U.S. Congressional Serial Set? and Examples from the U.S. Congressional Serial Set
   • U.S. Law Research Guide
   • Constitution Day @ CSUN
   • California Law Research Guide
   • Federal, California and Local Laws and Regulation Sources
3. Indexes of U. S. and California publications
   • Indexes for United States Government Publications
     • Catalog of United States Government Publications, online access from the Government Printing Office. Includes hot links. 1976-
     • Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications (Print version) and its predecessors. In addition to being an index to what was published, a very large microform collection called the U.S. government publications (depository) collection, published by the Readex Microprint Corporation, is arranged by the Monthly Catalog entry number for the years the Oviatt Library owns (1956-June 1991; access the library catalog record for either 1956-1980 (microcard) or 1980-1991 (microfiche) ).
   • California State Library Catalog
4. Specialized indexes/databases
   • American Statistics Index (Reference Room Table 4)--print index to statistics in federal publications.
   • CIS Index (Reference Room Table 5) -- print index to hearings held by Congressional committees.
   • U.S. Congressional Serial Set & American State Papers (Oviatt Library subscription). Online access to U.S. Senate and House of Representatives reports and documents, presidential messages to Congress, and many department publications. Content is still being added; eventually this source will cover Serial Set materials from 1789-1980. Oviatt Library also owns CIS U. S. Serial Set Index, a print index to the Serial Set from 1789-1969.
   • Digital National Security Archives (Oviatt Library subscription)
   • Homeland Security Digital Library (Oviatt Library subscription)
   • Historical Statistics of the United States (Oviatt library subscription). This digital and print-format edition from Cambridge University Press updates the Census Bureau's 1976 edition.
   • GPO Access has several hundred databases and collections; particularly materials from Congress and the Executive branch of the U.S. government.
   • STAT-USA includes economic, business, and international trade information.
   • United States Federal Government Web Links lists other favorite databases/full text collections from federal agencies.
5. Internet indexes and search engines especially for government information
   • Google's U. S. Government Search
   • USA.gov, the U.S. government's official web portal
   • Yahoo! Government
   • SearchGov.com
   • Browse Government Resources (Library of Congress)
   • California Home Page
   • Site indexes and/or site search engines are available at many government agency websites. There also are online databases and/or large full-text collections at some agency sites. (Some of these are listed on United States Federal Government Web Links and Government Reference Sources pages).
6. Search by agency or department
   • Federal agency and departments
     • Official U.S. Executive Branch Government Web Sites (Library of Congress)
     • Federal Agency Internet Sites
   • California Home Page has a tab section for Government.
7. Subject-oriented finding guides/directories for government publications. Prepared by government agencies or other libraries.
   • USA.gov, the U.S. government's official web portal.
   • INFOMINE: Government Resources
   • Government Information on the Web by Subject
   • Federal Resources Organized by Topic (GPO Access)
8. Ask a Librarian
   • If you are in the Oviatt Library and have questions, visit the Reference Desk on the first floor.
   • California State University, Northridge library users and other San Fernando Valley residents may email questions about finding government information to our Reference Librarians. If you live somewhere other than the San Fernando Valley part of Los Angeles, please contact the Depository Library in Your Area for further assistance. There are over 1200 depository libraries in the United States making government information available to their communities.

Created and maintained by Mary M. Finley
Questions or comments: mary.finley@csun.edu
Links checked: 24 March 2008