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Government Documents at Purdue

Introductory information to government documents, examples, and FAQs.

General

What are Government Documents?

Government documents are information resources produced by local, state, national, foreign, and international government organizations. They can include the text of laws, regulation, statistics, scientific and technical information and detailed analysis of subjects ranging from accounting to zoology. They can be in various formats including books, maps, microform, CDs, DVDs, web documents, and audio or video webcasts

Are there Government Documents in Purdue Libraries? 

Purdue Libraries, including HSSE Library, have extensive government documents collections. Government documents in the HSSE Library will cover various humanities and social science disciplines and be produced by agencies such as the Census Bureau, Department of Justice, National Park State Department, and U.S. Congress. Many of these publications are also available online or through the Purdue Libraries catalog. Many are also available through the Government Documents Department website.

What kinds of government documents do Purdue Libraries have?

Purdue has been a selective depository for U.S. Government documents since 1907 and Indiana State documents since 1974.  Libraries collections also feature government documents from international government organizations such as the international Atomic Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, United Nations, and World Bank.  There will also be digital collections of selected government information resources from countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Can physical government documents be checked out? 

Except for historically rare and fragile items, most government documents can be checked out like any other books by eligible users including Purdue students, faculty, and staff along with the members of the general public presenting a valid Indiana drivers license to the Collection Access service point in any Purdue Library.

Do Purdue Libraries have state or federal laws and regulations?

Electronic access to copies of federal laws and regulations can be found at:

Online access to Indiana State laws and regulations can be found through the Indiana General Assembly.

Purdue Libraries also subscribes to Nexis Uni which contains access to federal and state court cases.

I need help finding Government Information resources, whom should I contact?

Professor Bert Chapman at chapmanb@purdue.edu or (765) 494-2837.

Census

Where can I find agricultural Census information?

Where can I find economic census information?

Where can I find U.S. electronic commerce statistics?

Where can I find statistics on U.S. building permits?

Where can I find U.S. population projections?

Where can I find information on poverty in the U.S.?

Indiana

Where can I find the text of executive orders issued by Indiana governors?

Where can I find the text of Indiana state laws?

Where can I find the text of Indiana State regulations?

Where can I find the text of Indiana state bills and information on their current status?

Where can I find information on statistics produced by Indiana State government agencies?

Is there a quick way I can access information from all Indiana State government agencies?

Where can I find information about the activities of Indiana's Governor?

Where can I find information on Indiana U.S. Senators and Representatives and their contact information?

Where can I find personal Indiana state income tax forms?

Where can I find information on Indiana State hunting & fishing licenses?

Where can I find information on Indiana K-12 public school student assessment?

Where can I find information about Indiana transportation construction projects?

Where can I find information on the location of Indiana famers markets?

Where can I find Indiana agricultural statistics?

Where can I find biographical information on current and former Indiana State Supreme Court justices?

Where can I find biographical information on historic and current Indiana state legislators?

Where can I find listings of Indiana sex  and violence offenders?

Where can I find information on unclaimed business or personal property in Indiana?

Where can I find information about surplus property the state of Indiana is selling?

Where can I find information about Indiana K-12 public schools and their educational performance?

Where can I find information on property taxes in Indiana?

Where can I find information on state gambling laws, regulations, & revenues?

Where can I find information on state parks, forests, & reservoirs?

Where can I find information on individuals & organizations lobbying the Indiana General Assembly?

Where can I find information on the ethical regulations Indiana employees (except state legislators) must follow?

Where can I find information on Indiana state horse racing laws & regulations?

Where can I find information on Indiana alcohol and tobacco laws and regulations?

Where can I find information on Indiana tax revenue collection?

Where can I find information about Indiana drivers licenses and vehicle registration?

Where can I find the Governor's annual salary?

Where can I find information on Concentrated/Consolidated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO)?

Where can I find Indiana Coronavirus Relief Funding Information?

Where can I find information on Indiana's state budget?

U.S. Documents

Where can I find information about federal civil service positions in the executive branch?

Where can I find personal U.S. income tax forms, instructions, & publications?

Where can I find the text of U.S. Government regulations?

Where can I find the text of congressional bills and information on their status?

Where can I find quick information describing economic, political, and social conditions in foreign countries?

Where can I find international trade (exports and imports) information?

Where can I find information on the Medicare prescription drug program?

Where can I find information on casualties from military operations?

Where can I find statistical information from U.S. Government agencies?

Where can I find the text of U.S. laws?

Where can I find maps of foreign countries?

Where can I find ethical regulations for members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate?

Where can I find information and statistics on immigrants in the United States?

Where can I find biographical information on current U.S. Supreme Court Justices?

Where can I find national crime and criminal justice statistics with state & local breakdowns?

Where can I find a listing of the members of President Joe Biden's cabinet?

Where can I find the text of White House press briefings?

Where can I find information on federal government grants for individuals & businesses?

Where can I find information on federal contracts for businesses?

Where can I find information on foreign countries human rights practices & conditions?

Where can I find coronavirus information?

Where can I find statistics on gas and oil prices and on energy commodities such as nuclear energy?

Where can I find information on foreign countries energy information resources?

Where can I find information on cutting edge energy research and emerging sources such as geothermal, hydro, wind, & solar?

Where can I find information on mineral resources in the U.S., U.S. states, foreign countries, and individual industries like copper and iron ore?

Where can I find information on statistics on U.S. transportation & transportation systems?

Where can I find information about U.S. Government public land ownership?

Where can I find information about the property the U.S. Government owns or leases?

Where can I find information about U.S. national forests?

Where can I find information about national parks and other properties administered by the National Park Service?

Where can I find information about National Wildlife Refuges?

Where can I find information on how much pollution is released into the atmosphere with state and local breakdowns including by facility?

Where can I find information on how pharmaceutical drugs are approved & regulated by the government?

Where can I find information about U.S.-Government sponsored oil and natural gas drilling?

Where can I find information about U.S. Government support of scientific research & related statistics?

Where can I order books and ebooks produced by U.S. Government agencies?

Where can I find information about Smithsonian Institution centers and museums programs and exhibitions?

How can I find information about federal government sales or auctions of new or seized merchandise?

How can I find historical salary information for members of Congress?

How can I find the salaries of current federal government employees including senior managers?

Where can I find biographical information about current and historical members of Congress?

Where can I find biographical information about current & historical federal court judges including salaries?

How can I find information about the U.S. Capitol including its history, art, & architecture?

How can I find information about military personnel records?

Where can I find information about federal agency records for historic programs in Indiana?

When searching for federal agency records in the National Archives, how can I find the Record Group (RG) number for individual agencies such as the Census Bureau?

I'm returning from a trip to various foreign countries. How much can I import and what can I import duty free?

I'm planning to travel internationally soon. Where can I get information about applying for a passport?

Where can I find information on security and safety conditions in foreign countries I'm travelling to?

Where can I find information about army awards, decorations, & medals?

Where can I find information on individual Congressional Medal of Honor winners?

Where can I find information on the United States public debt?

Where can I find information on the U.S. Government budget including the budget deficit?

Where can I find authoritative sources of overall economic statistics?

Where can I get quick historical and current weather data for U.S. locations?

Where can I find background information on interest rates?

Where can I find information on defense or military contracts?

Where can I find the text or drawings for military specifications or standards?

Where can I find information about U.S. foreign aid to various countries and international government organizations?

Where can I find information and statistics on automotive fuel economy?

Where can I find information on soil conditions in U.S. counties?

Where can I found health and safety information on household products including Material Safety Data Sheets?

Where can I find recommended occupational exposure criteria documents for potential occupational hazards found in workplace environments?

Where can I find information on animal feeding operations?

Where can I find information on foreign county economic holdings in U.S. treasury securities?

Where can I find information on governmental regulation of broadcast and social media?

Where can I find tariff rates for items imported into the U.S.?

Where can I find foreign travel information for members of Congress and their staff?

Where can I find financial disclosure information for members of Congress?

How can I find information on who was the U.S. Ambassador to a particular country?

How can I find the per diem rate for travelling in foreign countries?

Wat is the per diem rate for travelling in the U.S?

How can I find information on gifts received by the President, First Lady, and other prominent U.S. Government officials from foreign leaders or governments?

How can I find information about the insurance security of personal and business financial accounts at my bank or financial institution?

Where can I find information about banks that have failed and the U.S. Government was required to intervene?

Where can I find information on individuals acting as agents for foreign governments in the U.S.?

Where can I find the Davis-Bacon wage determinations which are the wages to be paid on federally funded or assisted projects?

Where can I find information on U.S. consumer and commercial prices and unemployment rates?

Where can I find information on federal and state minimum wage laws?

Where can I find information about the geographic distribution of U.S. Government spending and spending by federal agencies?

Where can I find reports on transportation accidents:  air, rail, shipping etc.

Where can I find information and statistics on mortgage foreclosures?

Where can I find information on U.S. military sales to foreign countries?

Where can I find information on U.S. economic sanctions imposed against hostile individuals, organizations, and countries?

Where can I find information on foreign farmland ownership in the U.S?

Where can I find statistics on visitors to U.S. National Park Service sites?