Reference Books

These are just some of the books that the library owns.  Check our catalog to find out which of our branches own these items:

The United States Government Manual
Official Congressional Directory
Statistical Abstract of the United States
CQ's Washington Information Directory
Government Assistance Almanac
Occupational Outlook Handbook
The World Factbook

Official Government Gateway Site

FirstGov
This is the official gateway service of the United States government and covers each branch of the government. Provides the public with easy, one-stop access to all federal government websites. Allows users to browse a wealth of information—everything from researching at the Library of Congress to tracking a NASA mission. FirstGov for Citizens covers many topics such as finding government benefits, national parks and travel, finding a government job, and consumer help such as access to the Consumer Action Handbook. Click on the Consumer Protection topic and you can search consumer items such as auto safety recalls, drinking water safety, latest scams and frauds, and how to file a complaint with a federal agency.  You can also search for information targeted for a specific age group:

FirstGov for Kids has career information, fun topics and homework help

FirstGov for Seniors covers retirement, travel, and health information
           You can search for information about business from FirstGov by going to:

FirstGov for Businesses and Nonprofits  where you can search how to buy from or sell to            the government, start a business, find information about business taxation, register an            employer ID number, and find out how to get government loans.

There are many useful government websites that can help locate information on the three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

The President

White House Home Page
This is the official home page of the Office of the President and Vice President. Includes news about the President, press briefings, executive orders and proclamations, major speeches given by the President including the State of the Union Address. You can learn about the history of the White House and take a panoramic tour of the White House and the West Wing. Has an online interactive forum where you can submit a question to Bush administration officials.

American Presidents: Life Portraits
C-Span created this website as a companion to its television series.  It includes for each U.S. President biographical facts and key events of each presidency.

Supreme Court/Federal Judiciary

Supreme Court of the United States
Official website of the United States Supreme Court.  Includes biographies of the Supreme Court justices, arguments pending, opinions of the court, and visiting information to the court.

Federal Judiciary Homepage
Includes access to cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts, and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts.

Federal Departments and Agencies

Go to FirstGov.gov for a complete list of departments and agencies.  These are just some of the agencies you might need to contact for information:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
          Search for immigration laws, forms and information

Consumer Product Safety Commission
           Search for recalls and product safety news

Copyright Office
           Search for copyright forms and information on copyright law

Environmental Protection Agency
           Search for information on drinking water safety, global warming, and Superfund

Federal Trade Commission
           Search for the latest scams, get information on identity theft and get a complaint form

Food and Drug Administration
           Search for the latest drug approvals, counterfeit drugs, food safety and Mad Cow Disease

Health and Human Services, Dept. of
           Search for information on diseases and conditions, Medicaid, and nursing homes

Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
           Search for information for first time home buyers and locating HUD homes

Internal Revenue Service
           Search for federal tax forms and publication

National Park Service
           Visit and learn more about National Parks

Patent and Trademark Office
           Search for patents and trademarks and locate patent filing forms

Securities and Exchange Commission
           File a complaint against your broker, mutual fund, 401(k), pension or retirement fund

Small Business Administration
           Search for information on starting and financing your own business

Social Security Administration
           Search for information on Medicare, retirement, and disability benefits

Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor
           The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor administers our nation's labor laws, including: the minimum wage, overtime, and child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA); the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA); worker protections provided in several temporary visa programs; and the prevailing wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) and the Service Contract Act (SCA).

Federal Documents

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Publishes a great deal of statistical information about employment, wages, consumer price index, and job related injuries and illnesses.  Online versions of the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Monthly Labor Review, and Current Employment Statistics are available from the bureau.

GPO Access
The U.S. Government Printing Office provides access to all printed and electronic publications of all United States government departments and agencies, Congress, and the President. You can locate a federal depository library and U.S. government bookstores from this site.

FedStats
This site is the official gateway to federal statistics from over 100 federal departments and agencies. Includes statistics by agency, topic, or state.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
This is the online version of the Statistical Abstract of the United States: National Data Book. Contains a collection of statistics on social and economic conditions in the United States. Statistics come from the U.S. Census Bureau, federal departments, and agencies, and private sources. Bureau of Labor Statistics Publishes a great deal of statistical information about employment, wages, consumer price index, and job related injuries and illnesses. Online versions of the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Monthly Labor Review, and Current Employment Statistics are available from the bureau.

National Archives
Official website of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This agency holds the records of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government. Here you can do research genealogy, veterans’ service records, and use the Archives Library online public access catalog.

Budget of the United States
View or download Federal budgetary documents and the Economic Report of the President.

Libraries

Library of Congress
Serves as the official United States national library, housing a large collection of books, government documents, and periodicals. Has many research centers with collections such as the American Folklife Center, Law Library, Local History & Genealogy, Motion Picture & Television, Performing Arts, Science & Technology, and Business Reference. Library of Congress also serves the information needs of Congress.

Presidential Libraries
This site from the National Archives links to all of the presidential libraries from Herbert Hoover to Bill Clinton.  Includes information about the presidential library system, library research room hours, and presidential museums.  The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is not part of the National Archives and houses the world’s largest collection of Lincoln papers and documents.