Top Government Web Sites and Documents
This guides lists the top 35 federal and State of California web sites and publications chosen from the many thousands of publications and web sites maintained by government agencies. Included are both academic and consumer publications and sites. Use the Government Information and Databases and Government Document Research Guides to find other web sites and documents by subject, title or agency. |
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One Stop Sites
- CA.gov - offical portal to State of California services and California State Agencies List.
- California State Agency Databases - This is an annotated list of databases produced by the State of California, divided by the three elected branches of our government or agencies of the Executive.
- Publications.USA.gov - provides the "answers to questions about the Federal Government and everyday consumer issues." Ask questions by phone or email, request/download publications on consumer topics, or link to recommended web sites.
- FDsys: Federal Digital System - ncludes searchable government information created by Congress and Federal agencies.
- USA.gov
- the major search engine/portal to federal and state government web sites and resources.
- The federal government also maintains a host of other "one stop" sites that are more specifically focused:
Congress & the President
- Budget of the United States - browse or search current and historical budgets of the United States. Also includes links to the annual Economic Report of the President.
- U.S. House of Representatives - official House site including finding your representative.
- U.S. Senate - official Senate site including finding your Senator.
- White House - official site of the President of the United States.
Elections
- California Elections and Voter Information (California Secretary of State) - includes information on voter registration, candidates and election results, and statewide ballot propositions, both current and historical.
- Federal Election Commission - includes disclosure statements on national candidate financing.
- Project Vote Smart (not a government site) - provides non-biased information on candidates and elected officials at national and state levels, including their stands on issues, campaign finances, voting records, and interest group ratings.
- Smart Voter (League of Women Voters--not a government site) - contains "nonpartisan election election information" from candidates and government elections departments in participating counties and states for both current and past elections.. Includes California and Humboldt County.
Foreign Countries
- Background Notes (U.S. Department of State) - includes "facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations" of foreign countries.
- CIA World FactBook (U.S. Central Intelligence Agency) - includes geographic, demographic and statistical information on foreign countries.
Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - contains a wealth of information and statistics on health and safety topics that affect all citizens, workers and travelers.
- Healthfinder.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) - links to information on 1,600 health topics provided by government and non-profit organizations are designed to "bring you the best, most reliable health information on the Internet".
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) - contains a wealth of authoritative medical information from government agencies and health-related organizations that is useful for answering health questions.
Historical Documents
- Hathi Trust Digital Library - As a digital repository for the nation’s great research libraries, HathiTrust brings together the immense collections of major univerisity libraries.You will not only find older government documents, but other historic documents as well.
- National Archives of the United States - preserves records and documents of the federal government that are important for legal or historical research. Includes major documents of American history and personal records useful for family history.
- Internet Archive for U.S. Government Documents - including historical documents, and some California Documents.
- Library of Congress - the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts.
- American Memory - provides web access to selected historical materials.
Jobs, Schools & Grants
- California Colleges and Universities (California Postsecondary Education Commission) - includes information on more than 400 public and private California colleges.
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - "government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public." Search the catalog through Grants.gov.
- Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Department of Labor) - for hundreds of jobs tells you the training and education needed; earnings expected; job prospects; typical job responsibilities; and working conditions.
Laws & Regulations
- Code of Federal Regulations - annual compilation of federal agency administrative rules and regulations that were first published in the Federal Register.
- Federal Register - "official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents." A Tutorial is available.
- Official California Legislative Information (Legislative Counsel of California) - includes fulltext and status of current and past bills, resolutions, and constitutional amendments; California Codes; daily legislative calendar; and links to other legislative publications.
- Thomas (Library of Congress) - portal to federal legislative information including fulltext and status of current and historical bills and resolutions, roll call votes, public laws, daily Congressional Record, and committee reports.
- United State Code - "codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States."
Maps
- NationalAtlas.gov - contains interactive and static maps using data from over 20 government agencies that "capture and depict the patterns, conditions, and trends of American life".
Science & Enviroment
- Treesearch (U.S. Forest Service) Indexes and provides online access to over 36,000 USFS research publications. Publications include research monographs published by the USFS as well as papers authored by USFS personnel that are published in scholarly journals, conference proceedings, and books. Search by title, author or keyword, research station or publication series.
- Research Papers (Docs A 13.78:)
- Research Notes (Docs A 13.79:)
- Resource Bulletin (Docs A 13.80:)
- General Technical Reports (Docs A 13.88:)
- U.S. Geological Survey - contains a wealth of information on the biology, geography, geology, geospatial information, and water resources of the United States gathered by USGS scientists. The Publications Warehouse includes over 85,000 fulltext publications.
- U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - contains popular and scientific information and data on weather, climate, coasts, oceans, and fisheries.
Statistics & Demography
- California Statistical Abstract (California Department of Finance) - "compilation of data on social, economic, and physical aspects of the State."
- FedStats - subject and agency guide to statistical publications from over 100 federal agencies.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States (U.S. Census Bureau) Annual compilation of statistics from the Census Bureau and other government agencies. Statistical series extend back to Colonial times.
- U.S. Census Bureau - the premier purveyor of demographic, housing, business and industry statistics collected by the federal government. American Factfinder is an easy to use interface to detailed census statistics by geographic area.
- U.S. Census Bureau - Publications - Many older census materials have been scanned and made availble in PDF format or ZIP format for download.
Tax Forms
- California Franchise Tax Board - inlcudes State of California tax forms and publications.
- U.S. Internal Revenue Service - includes federal tax forms and publications.