LibGuides: U.S. Federal Government Information: A Basic Guide: Historical Publications Online

Google Books & Hathi Trust

Many historical US government publications are available through Google Books or the Hathi Trust. Some may only be available in snippet form.

HathiTrust allows download of complete PDFs of public-domain publications for MSU affiliates logged in with their MSU NetID.

Films from the Federal Government

FedFlix: The best movies of the United States Government, from training films to history, from our national parks to the U.S. Fire Academy and the Postal Inspectors.

Historical U.S. Government Publications Online

This is a selected list of sites for historical U.S. government publications. Many more exist. Please consult subject-specific research guides or Julia Frankosky for further assistance.

American Memory (Library of Congress)
"American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifel
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation brings together online the records and acts of Congress from the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention through the 43rd Congress, including the first three volumes of the Congressional Record, 1873-75."
Congressional Record Online 1789-present
Contains all floor debates in the House and Senate of the US Congress.
Congressional Hearings Digital Collection (1824-2003)
Congressional hearings offer unique insight into the players and issues of key political, historical and legal events and processes. This collection contains the full text of hearing transcripts, including all oral statements, committee questions, and discussion.
Proquest Congressional
Includes congressional committee hearings (1824-2003), prints, documents and reports, CRS reports (1916-) and the Congressional Record (1789- ) full text online. Indexed publications may also be available in print in the Documents Department (3West).
U.S. Congressional Serial Set (1789-1969) FULL-TEXT
House and Senate reports, documents, and journals constitute a rich source of primary source material on all aspects of American history and life. Approximately 13,800 volumes and over 12 million pages. Primarily congressional publications but also executive agency reports.

The Serial Set Finding List complements this index listing serial set volumes for department annual reports and serials in the Serial Set.
CRS Report Finder from Zfacts
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is the policy research arm of the US Congress. With its $100 million budget and ~800 employees, it issues about 3,000 briefs, reports, short issue papers and longer position papers per year.
More CRS Report Sources
Provides a list of free sources of Congressional Research Service reports and issue briefs, as well as a description of a microfilm collection available in the Main Library.
Hein Online
Full-text collection of legal materials including all volumes of the Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, Statutes at Large, Congressional Record, treaties and agreeements, presidential documents and agency administrative publications.
Internet Archive
Collections of books, videos, image galleries and audio.
Examples: Federal Writers' Project collection, Presidential recordings including the secret recordings made in the White House between 1940 and 1973, FedFlix ("the best movies of the United States Government, from training films to history").
Also includes non-government content.

Search tools for online historical publications

Registry of U.S. Government Publication Digitization Projects
The Registry contains records for projects that include digitized copies of publications originating from the U.S. Government.
OAIster
Aims to "provide one-stop "shopping" for users interested in useful, academically-oriented digital resources. We gather all potential digital resources out there in an effort to build a comprehensive digital union catalog." Search metadata of digitization projects. Includes non-government material.

MSU Libraries

Research Guides

U.S. Federal Government Information: A Basic Guide: Historical Publications Online

Google Books & Hathi Trust

Films from the Federal Government

Historical U.S. Government Publications Online

Search tools for online historical publications