U.S. Government documents are essential resources for studying the presidency. Purdue University Libraries have been a federal depository library since 1907 and have many documents on the presidency. Use Catalog of Government Publications for access to publications distributed to federal depository libraries from 1976-present with recent versions of these being online. Use Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications HSSE Periodicals 016.353 Un36 for earlier years.
Important sources of presidential documents including the following authoritative sources are:
This link opens in a new windowMany organizations with the Executive Office of the President provide policy guidance and advice to the President including:
Print versions of many of these agencies publications are in the PREX section of the HSSE Library Government documents.
Presidential commission reports are also good information sources on federal and presidential policymaking. These commissions consist of experts appointed by the President and Congress to study and issue reports on important public policy issues. Recent editions of these reports are online and paper copies can be found in the PR section of HSSE's Government Documents stacks based on individually numbered presidents. Obama Administration commissions and other documents will begin with the PR 44 government document call number. Recent examples of presidential commission reports from the George W. Bush Administration and Clinton Administration include:
