Government Information
Contact us:
Ask a Librarian!
Trillian Hosticka and Angie Taliaferro
This library is a Congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the Government information is guaranteed by public law.
Shannon Library is the Regional Federal Depository Library for Virginia, and a depository for Virginia, the United Nations, and the European Union. Government documents can be checked out like other library materials. Knowledgeable staff are happy to assist you in your research.
Covid-19 Announcement
While the Main Library is undergoing renovation our documents collection is stored in our off-site storage facility. To check out physical documents, please request them through our online catalog, Virgo.
- The format filter can be used to limit your results to only government documents when using Virgo's advanced search or in the sidebar of the Virgo results page.
- You can find instructions for requesting materials through Virgo on this page: https://www.library.virginia.edu/services/request .
If you have any questions, please use the Ask A Librarian chat function or e-mail library@virginia.edu .
Quick Links
- ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new windowInformation by and about the U.S. Congress: documents and reports, Legislative Histories, hearings, and members and committees. Search the Congressional Record, Federal Register, Federal Regulations, The Hill, and Roll Call. Formerly LexisNexis Congressional.
- Legislative Insight This link opens in a new windowFederal legislative history service. Includes the Public Law, all versions of related bills, Congressional Record excerpts, committee hearings, reports, prints, Presidential signing statements, CRS reports, and additional background material.
- Hein Online This link opens in a new windowRetrospective, full-text .pdf coverage of hundreds of legal periodicals, U.S. Supreme Court cases, the U.S. Statutes at Large, Congressional Record, hearings and other legislative history materials, Federal Register, U.S. Attorney General opinions, U.S. treaties and agreements, Foreign and International Law, Israel Law Reports, English Reports, Hague Academy Recueil des Cours, Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law collection, and the Virginia Law Weekly archive. Searchable by citation, author/title, and keyword.
- GovInfo.govThis database, maintained by the Government Printing Office, provides authenticated access to publications from all three branches of government. Coverage is strongest from the mid 1990s onwards, but older documents can be found here as well. New content is added daily. Use this database to find the text of legislation, bills, etc.
Need help using this resource? Video tutorials and overviews can be found here: https://www.fdlp.gov/govinfo-tutorials-2
GovInfo.gov replaces the FDSys platform, which was retired in Dec. 2018. - U.S. Agencies - A-ZFind contact information for U.S. federal government departments and agencies including websites, emails, phone numbers, addresses, and more.
- US Government Information: Weekly Round-up - From UC San Diego's LibraryThis page is an attempt to provide current awareness of federal government reports and activities. The page will be updated weekly to provide links to important, newsworthy, or interesting material published during the previous week. The goal is to keep the links to a manageable number for readers, not to be a comprehensive listing.
- New & Noteworthy Gov Docs - From William & Mary's Swem LibraryUpdates on new U.S. government publications of interest. This blog ran from 2005 through 2018, and while it is not currently updated, researchers may find its topics and tagging system helpful.
How Do I Find Government Information on...?
- British Foreign Office (FO) DocumentsUVA owns many in microform.
- CensusOverview of current and historical Census - demographic, social, economic statistics.
- CongressIncludes a list of print, microfiche and electronic access in Shannon and U.Va. Law Libraries.
- Early U.S. DocumentsPre-1976 U.S. documents not in VIRGO.
- Navy & NOAA DocumentsGuide to documents held at ODU in Norfolk as part of a selective housing agreement, as well as online resources
- State Department PublicationsInformation about U.Va.'s ASERL State Department Center of Excellence collection.