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United States Government Information
Guide to U.S. Federal government information and data
- Getting Started
- Handbooks & Background
- Covid-19
- Indexes & Pre-1976 Publications
- Government Films
- Economics & Statistics
- Poverty Data
- For Kids
- About Documents Unit
Government Documents Librarian

Rita Wilson
Contact:
UTSA Libraries -- Main Campus
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, Texas 78249
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, Texas 78249
210-458-7572
Other UTSA Government Guides
Search Engines: USA.gov and Census Survey Explorer
Official Government search engine to Federal & State government information and services.
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Census Survey Explorer NEW!Discover which of the 130+ Census surveys covers the data, geography, demographic characteristics, date coverage and frequency of release you want. Search this user-friendly tool by broad topics listed under the Topics & Subtopics tab. View an 8-minute instructional Data Gem to learn more.
Key Databases for Federal Government Information
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ProQuest CongressionalComprehensive full image coverage of U.S. Congressional publications 1789-present, including hearings, prints, reports, Serial Set maps, bills and laws, Congressional Record, Congressional Research Service Reports, and information on Congressional members and committees. Updated daily.
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MetaLib> U.S. Government reports, articles, and citations
> Simultaneously searches across multiple subject based government databases, catalogs, and digital repositories
> Search all or create your own sets of searchable databases
> Includes more than 50 sources including EPA, ERIC, GAO, Data.gov, FBI Vault, govinfo, NCJRS, National Archives and Library of Congress
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Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP)> Finding tool for electronic and print publications from the U.S. legislative, executive, and judicial branches
> Contains more than 500,000 descriptive records for historical and current publications since July 1976
> Provides direct links to online documents
> Updated daily
> For publications issued prior to 1976, consult govinfo.gov Monthly Catalog (below) -
New Titles Added to CGPFind all the latest documents added to the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) including print, online, e-books.
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Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government PublicationsLists all of the publications produced by the U.S. Government Printing Office from 1895 to 2004.
govinfo.gov
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GPO Monthly CatalogIndexes all types of U.S. Government documents from July 1976 to the present including Congressional reports, hearings, and debates; judiciary materials; and documents issued by executive departments.
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Govinfo> From U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO)
> Free electronic access to a wealth of Federal publications including regulations, laws, Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, administrative decisions, Core Documents of U.S. Democracy, and judicial, legislative, and executive documents.
> Dates of coverage vary. Updated continuously. Replaced FDsys.
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LLMC DigitalExtensive collection of historical legislative, executive, and judicial publications on the federal, state, and territorial levels as well as foreign legal materials. All documents are available full text in PDF. Date range: 14th-21st centuries. Title List.
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Military and Government Collection (EBSCO)Offers current news pertaining to all branches of the military, including a thorough collection of military titles, trade publications, and newsweeklies. Provides cover-to-cover full text of 300 periodicals. Also includes the full text of 245 pamphlets and indexes/abstracts 400 magazines.
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HathiTrust Digital LibraryMany historical government documents have been digitized and are freely available through HathiTrust as well as many out-of-copyright books.
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Territorial Papers of the United States (Carter Papers)Official records of the 28 territories established between 1787 and 1912 to south and west of the 13 original colonies including Mississippi, Indiana, Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan. Affairs in the territories were under the general direction of the Department of State until 1873 and the Department of the Interior after 1873.
From the National Archives and available online in HathiTrust
Statistics
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Census Survey Explorer NEW!Discover which of the 130+ Census surveys covers the data, geography, demographic characteristics, date coverage and frequency of release you want. Search this user-friendly tool by broad topics listed under the Topics & Subtopics tab. View an 8-minute instructional Data Gem to learn more.
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Statistical Abstract of the United StatesSummarizes U.S. social, political and economic data in convenient tables from a wide variety of Federal and State agencies as well as private organizations. Tables available in either PDF or Excel. Check original sources of data for more detailed information. Excellent introductory essay at beginning of each PDF section. Updated monthly. For earlier editions (1970-current) use drop down menu in database. Archived government editions (1878-2012) available free at U.S. Census Bureau and Cybercemetery sites. Tip sheet.
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StatistaStatista gathers statistical information on over 600 industries from over 10,000 different sources, such as market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources.
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Data-Planet Statistical DatasetsProvides access to a repository of standardized and structured statistical data to dynamically compare and manipulate statistical indicators. Data-Planet repository contains more than 90 billion data points from 70+ U.S-based and international public and private organizations. The 16 subject areas include agriculture & food; banking, finance, & insurance; criminal justice & law enforcement; education; energy; government & politics; health & vital statistics; housing & construction; industry & business; international relations & trade; labor & employment; military & defense; natural resources; population & income; prices & cost of living; transportation & traffic. Time series are presented in charts, maps, graphs, and tables via multiple points of entry.
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Historical Statistics of the United States 1789-1957A supplement to the Statistical Abstract of the United States; prepared by the Bureau of the Census with the cooperation of the Social Science Research Council.
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Statistical InsightStatistical information by U.S. Federal and State agencies, international intergovernmental organizations, professional, trade and independent research organizations, commercial publishers and universities. Abstracts/indexing from 1973 with significant full-text online 1995 to present. Additional older content is available on microfiche using ASI, SRI or IIS number in the record.
Fast & Easy Census Statistics
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Census Survey Explorer NEW!Discover which of the 130+ Census surveys covers the data, geography, demographic characteristics, date coverage and frequency of release you want. Search this user-friendly tool by broad topics listed under the Topics & Subtopics tab. View an 8-minute instructional Data Gem to learn more.
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Census Data GemsA series of short how-to videos available for data users looking for an easy and quick way to enhance their knowledge on finding Census data on specific topics.
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USA.govUSA.gov is the U.S. government's official web portal to all federal, state, and local government web resources and services, as well as those of cross-government agencies and tribal governments. Provides access to over 100,000 government websites. Search the official Spanish language web portal of the U.S. Government at USAGov en español . For similar resources, see also govinfo and GPO Monthly Catalog.
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City, State and County Quick Facts (U.S. Census)QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more.
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Narrative Profiles - U.S. CensusGenerate a short, analytic report derived from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Provides text and bar charts to display highlights of selected social, economic, housing and demographic estimates for a selected geographic area. Choose from State, County, Place, Census Tract, MSA, Zip Code Tabulation Area.
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Census PublicationsPublications, briefs and reports from Census Bureau experts. Filter by topic, survey and/or year.
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data.census.gov (Explore Census Data)U.S. Census Bureau’s new platform to access detailed tables and maps for population, housing, economic, and geographic data from the Census of Population and Housing, Economic Census, American Community Survey, and more. Users can generate simple visualizations, extract reports, and explore census data by theme or topic. data.census.gov is the primary way to access Census Bureau data, including upcoming releases from the 2018 American Community Survey, 2017 Economic Census, 2020 Census and more.
data.census.gov replaces American FactFinder, which was retired
• Access census.data.gov tutorials.
• Read about the transition from American FactFinder to data.census.gov.
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Decennial Census Official PublicationsChoose a publication year to see the official census as well as related reports. Available in easy to load PDF files.
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HeritageQuest Online (ProQuest)Provides a collection of research materials for tracing family history and American culture. Includes full-text documents from more than 25,000 works of local and family histories, as well as the full-text documents and indexes from the U.S. Federal Census, 1790-1940, U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 among other resources.
Key Reports & Analysis
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Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports via ProQuest CongressionalCRS, a division of the Library of Congress, produces analytical, non-partisan reports on topics of interest to members of Congress. Comprehensive collection 1916-current
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Congressional Research Service ReportsCRS approaches complex topics from a variety of perspectives and examines all sides of an issue. Staff members analyze current policies and present the impact of proposed policy alternatives. New reports added as received. Not comprehensive.
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Congressional Budget Office (CBO)A federal legislative agency that provides economic information and revenue projections for Congress. Reports produced are "objective, nonpartisan, and timely analyses to aid in economic and budgetary decisions on the wide array of programs covered by the federal budget." All reports are posted on website.
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Government Accountability Office (GAO) Reports & TestimoniesIndependent, non-partisan agency known as the Congressional watchdog. Its reports provide excellent analysis and critique of government topics.
Government & Census Tutorials
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FDLP AcademyWebinars and webcasts on a wide variety of Government information topics, presented by GPO, other Federal agencies, or from the FDLP community.
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FDLP Academy Training RepositoryFree recorded webinars and conference events on a wide variety of government topics, presented by GPO, Federal agencies, or from the FDLP community. Older recordings may be found in FDLP Academy: Webinars and Webcasts.
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FDLP Academy Older Recordings and WebcastsRecordings older than two years may be found in FDLP Academy: Webinars and Webcasts.
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Census AcademyCensus Academy provides courses and webinars on data tools, geography, data science and visualization, population characteristics, business and economy, and housing. Click here for recorded webinars
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Census Data GemsA series of short how-to videos available for data users looking for an easy and quick way to enhance their knowledge on finding Census data on specific topics.
International Woman's Day
- America Counts: What is the Gender Wage Gap in Your State?
- Data Visualization: Gender Pay Gap
- Infographic: Women’s Earnings
- Infographic: Change in Women's Participation in Selected Occupations Since 2000