This guide is intended to help students from a variety of subject areas who might need to use government information in their research. In this guide, you will find help and resources on how to:

• understand different types of government information;
• access US government documents in physical and online formats;
• and find data from national, regional, and local government agencies.

The UH Libraries are a member of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and maintain a physical collection in the basement of the M.D. Anderson Library. Electronic resources can be found through the library's website. Note: not all of the physical resources are listed in our catalog, so please let us know if you need assistance by reaching out at libteach@uh.edu.

Government documents are generally any sort of official publication produced by a government agency or entity, whether it's in a physical format or an online resource. These can come from local, regional, national, or international organizations and are generally considered public record. They tend to cover a wide range of topics and serve a variety of purposes, depending on which specific group has created them. This can include, but is not limited to:

• legislative materials, including bills and statutes
• reports disseminating information on research studies or policy
• budget and other financial information
• census and statistical data
• campaign and election materials

Use the guide menu to find some of these different types of government information, and learn more about their potential uses.