Guides: Federal Government Information: General Information

The Missouri State Library participates in the Federal Depository Library Program, administered by the Government Publishing Office (GPO) in Washington, DC. The Missouri State Library provides access to federal government resources and assistance in finding federal government information.

View U.S. government information online by using the links in this guide. This guide is not comprehensive, but resources are selected based on regional interests and needs. It was last updated on June 11, 2025.
Search or browse our collection of print documents through our online catalog or visit us in person.
Ask! Contact libref@sos.mo.gov or call 573.751.3615 for assistance with finding federal information or using any of the resources listed. To chat, submit a question via the blue "Ask us" tab on the right of this page.

For a more comprehensive federal government documents collection, please visit the Missouri's Regional Federal Depository Library at the University of Missouri.

Resource Highlight

Fatherhood.gov
The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse is under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop, promote, and distribute research and strategies for fathers and families. You can find activities for dads and kids, library research and resources, program maps for fatherhood programs, and even dad jokes.

General Information

America's Founding Documents
Includes links to the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Gettysburg Address, the Declaration of Independence, and much more. Visit Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation for more.
Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government
Government Publishing Office's guide to the government for students and educators with educational content on branches of the government, how laws are made, and other civic lessons.
FDLP LibGuides
View FLDP-curated LibGuides on a variety of topics.
Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
The catalog is a finding tool for federal publications including descriptive information for historical and current publications and links to full documents when available.
govinfo - U.S. Government Information
The Government Publishing Office (GPO) provides free online access to official federal government publications. It includes the Congressional Record, the Federal Register, congressional bills, executive orders and other records over the past twenty years or so. Learn more about govinfo through their webcasts.
United States Government Manual
The official handbook of the U.S. government. Older editions from 1935 to present and downloadable PDFs available on govinfo.gov.

USA.gov
The official web portal of the United States government.
World Factbook
Find information about the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military and transnational issues around the world.

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The Constitution's Children: A Collection of Essays by Schoolchildren to Commemorate the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, 1787-1987