Government information is a catch-all term that encompasses all resources created, published, or distributed by local, state, or national government agencies or entities. Common types of government information include reports, hearings, laws, and datasets. Government information can also include emails, websites, photographs, videos, and social media posts. Government information influences decision-making, policy, regulations, research, private industry and public knowledge.
Government documents, or "gov docs," are a specific type of government information, created at the government's expense and often distributed as required by law. Gov docs must meet strict criteria regarding accuracy, authoritativeness, credibility, and consistency and are. As such, government documents are considered reliable, trustworthy and authoritative. Commons gov doc publications include agency reports, scientific studies, maps, pamphlets, congressional hearings, presidential papers, census surveys, laws, and historical documents.
Reed College Library has been a member of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) for over 100 years. The FDLP is a decentralized, congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents held by libraries across the United States and U.S. territories. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law (Title 44 United States Code). Reed College Hauser E. Memorial Library is one of 20 depository libraries in Oregon that receives Federal publications from the Government Publishing Office in Washington D.C.
More information about the FDLP program can be found on the Government Publishing Office website.
Librarians are available for each discipline, including government information. Reasons to consult with a librarian could include help navigating databases, obtaining materials for this library or from other libraries, help with copyright, using images, citing resources, or interpreting thesis requirements. We want to help. Please contact your librarian if you have any questions:
This work by the Reed College Library is licensed under a Creative Commons CC-BY Attribution 4.0 International License.
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