LibGuides: Government Information: Search for Documents

Local Collection

Have a particular document in mind?

Step 1: Find a call number

Most post 1976-government documents at the University of Idaho Library may be located by using our library catalog. If you know the name of a particular document you'd like to see, just use the catalog to find a call number or ask for assistance at the reference desk. If you know of a specific pre-1976 document you'd like to find, please contact Rami Attebury for assistance as many are not yet cataloged.

Step 2: Ask for the document

Because the government documents collection at the library are in closed stacks, patrons wishing to obtain a document need to request it either in the Government Documents/Special Collections Reading Room during our open hours or at the Circulation Desk after hours.

GovInfo

Looking for current official government publications?

GovInfo provides online access to official publications from all three branches of government.

Looking for other options?

There are several ways to search for government publications that are freely available on the web. Some tools search many subjects at once. In addition, many governmental agencies have their own databases that allow users to search their content directly.

Hein Online This link opens in a new window
Includes Law Journal Library collection, containing nearly 370 of the top academic legal periodicals, as well as the Federal Register Library, containing pre-1981 coverage of the United States Federal Register. This is an image-based database with content identical to the print.
MetaLib This link opens in a new window
MetaLib is a federated search engine that searches multiple U.S. Federal government databases, retrieving reports, articles, and citations in virtually every subject area while providing direct links to selected resources available online.

National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
NTIS contains records for the latest research sponsored by the United States and select foreign governments. The database is a strong source for the scientific, technical, engineering, and business related fields.
Science.gov
Science.gov is a gateway to government science information and research results. Science.gov provides a search of over 38 scientific databases and 200 million pages of science information with just one query, and is a gateway to 1,950+ scientific Websites.
State Agency Databases
In every US State and the District of Columbia, agencies are creating databases of useful information - information on businesses, licensed professionals, plots of land, even dates of fish stocking. Some of this content is available on search engines, but much of it is part of the invisible web. Since July 2007, librarians and other government information specialists have been working on identifying and annotating these databases in one place. We've chased across fifty state web sites so you don't have to!
USA.gov
USA.gov is the federal government's official search engine. It offers a comprehensive portal to federal sites by agency.

Major Titles

The Federal Register/CFR is available digitally 1936-present from Hein Online (UI Affiliates Only) or on fiche or paper at GS 4.107 or AE 2.106.

Research Guides

Government Information: Search for Documents

Local Collection

GovInfo

Major Titles