Economic

Government Data

Federal, state, county, and city data supply the crucial - and authoritative - information needed to stay on top in today's competitive business market. The Kennedy Library is an official selective depository for Federal, California State, and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission documents. The Library houses a large variety of other publications provided by government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. Municipal planning documents, agricultural experiment station bulletins, state budget projections, federal environmental protection guidelines, United Nations publications, and detailed USGS maps are only a sample of the breadth of information available to researchers.

What is a government document?
A government document is an official publication of a government agency, whether international, federal, state, county or city. Laws, census publications, agricultural data, municipal plans, and maps comprise only a small portion of the collection. Topics range from geological investigations and environmental impact reports to tax forms and congressional hearings. Government agencies collect and publish statistics on a variety of subjects. For example, the Census Bureau collects a huge array of data on United States populations which includes race, age, income, and other demographic information.

Who publishes government documents?
The Government Printing Office (GPO) produces most federal government publications. California State publications are published by the California Office of State Printing. Local governments produce their own documentation at the city, county, and regional levels. However, government agencies also contract with private industry to collect information, conduct studies and publish reports. For example, environmental impact statements/reports are largely published by companies which specialize in producing these types of reports.