SJSU Research Guides: Government Information: Home

Welcome

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 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). The King Library is one of over 1,300 libraries in the United States designated as a federal depository library. The library joined the depository program in 1962 and serves California's 19th U.S. Congressional District

If you need assistance with the government publications collection, please see the staff at the first floor Universal Service Point. If you need any research assistance, please contact Essy Barroso-Ramirez at essy.barroso-ramirez@sjsu.edu.

Citing Government Publications

Sources for citing: DocsCite and Basic Legal Citation. Arizona State University has set up an interactive program, called DocsCite. Use this to cite in either APA or MLA style. Basic Legal Citation is from Cornell University.

Basic legal citation by Peter Martin is helpful in determining the correct legal citation. This also includes 3 tutorials on the basics related to legal citation.

Congressional Serial Set

Overview of the U.S. Congressional Serial Set

U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1994 This link opens in a new window
Includes House & Senate Reports, Senate treaty documents and Senate executive reports, and presidential messages. To see documents before this date, refer to the American State Papers, 1789-1838.
American State Papers This link opens in a new window
Search and browse legislative and executive documents of the first 14 U.S. Congresses. This collection covers such historical events as Lewis and Clark’s Expedition, Burr’s Conspiracy and Arrest, the Treaty of the Creek Indians made by Andrew Jackson and much more. Also includes speeches and messages of Presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison. Note: Please refer to the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1980 database for post 1816 documents.

Federal Digital System (Fdsys)

The Federal Digital System provides free access to publications from all three branches of the federal government. You can search or browse for any reports and download the information.

For help in using this system please click on this link to access tutorials on searching FDsys.

Databases

American Government This link opens in a new window
Contains 12,000+ primary and secondary sources, including 1,200 documents, 4,000 images, 200 maps, and 200 audio/video recordings covering the United States government and political system, including such topics as national security, civil rights, immigration, and health care reform.. This database American Government also provides over 2,100 biographies of important historical and current government figures.
Military & Government Collection This link opens in a new window
Designed to offer current news pertaining to all branches of the military and government, this database offers a thorough collection of periodicals, academic journals, and other content pertinent to the increasing needs of those sites.
American State Papers This link opens in a new window
Search and browse legislative and executive documents of the first 14 U.S. Congresses. This collection covers such historical events as Lewis and Clark’s Expedition, Burr’s Conspiracy and Arrest, the Treaty of the Creek Indians made by Andrew Jackson and much more. Also includes speeches and messages of Presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison. Note: Please refer to the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1980 database for post 1816 documents.
U.S. Declassified Documents Online This link opens in a new window
A multi-disciplinary, comprehensive source which includes previously classified government documents from the White House and a variety of U.S. government agencies during post World War II through the 1970s. Also explores the political, economic, and social conditions during domestic and foreign events. Includes documents from presidential libraries.
C-SPAN Video Library This link opens in a new window
The C-SPAN Archives records, indexes, and archives all C-SPAN programming for historical, educational, research, and archival uses. Every C-SPAN program aired since 1987, now totaling over 160,000 hours, is contained in the C-SPAN Archives. All C-SPAN programs since 1993 are digital and can be viewed online for free. Duplicate copies of programs that have aired since 1987 can be obtained and used for education, research, review or home viewing purposes.

Government Information

Government Publications Catalog

Non-governmental organizations search

Librarian

Welcome

Citing Government Publications

Congressional Serial Set

Federal Digital System (Fdsys)

Databases