Guides: Federal Government Information: General Information

Alert

Due to precautions for COVID-19, the Missouri State Library is not open to the public at this time, and therefore access to physical items in the federal documents collection will not be available. We apologize for the inconvenience.

However, access to government information is available online through our website! Reference Services staff are available to assist Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. via phone, email and chat. Contact information for other depository libraries can be found in the Federal Depository Library Directory.

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 March 16, 2020.
Search or browse our collection of print documents through our online catalog or visit us in person.
Ask! Contact Emily.Wiechmann@sos.mo.gov or call 573.751.4552 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.

Resources on COVID-19 Outbreak

Centers for Disease Control
Information on COVID-19 from the CDC. Includes updates, federal government responses to the outbreak, and specific information for at-risk populations.
Government Response to Coronavirus
Information about the government's response to Coronavirus, as well as travel advisories.
LitCovid
Find up-to-date scientific literature about COVID-19 in this searchable collection of publications from the National Library of Medicine.
National Institutes of Health
Information on the current situation, background information, and the CDC response to Coronavirus.
Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak
Text of Presidential Proclamation issued by the White House on March 13th.
Travel Guidelines
Information from the Centers for Disease Control for travelers. Includes an interactive map displaying risk assessment by country, as well as information on domestic flights and sea travel.
World Health Organization
An agency of the United Nations, the WHO is organizing much of the international response to the Coronavirus, and is working with the CDC to address the pandemic in the US. View global tracking of its spread, as well as updates and travel advice.

Check out our Information on the 2020 Census LibGuide

Find ways to get a Census job, instructions on how you will receive and submit your survey, how to keep information safe and more by visiting our Information on the 2020 Census guide!

Census Day

April 1, 2020

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.
FDLP LibGuides
View FLDP-curated LibGuides on a variety of topics.
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. 1935 to present available online.
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.