Government Documents
Government Information at WSC
The government documents collection at Wayne State consists of U.S. government documents, legal reference, documents reference and Nebraska state documents.
Federal Documents
Conn Library became a selective depository library for U.S. federal documents in 1970. With the Government Printing Office wanting to save on the cost associated with printing, they are now putting the majority of their documents online. With larger number of documents available online, we changed our selections to online documents only in 2012. The library currently selects 10 percent of the items available from the Government Printing Office. Materials not held by Conn Library may be retrieved at Love Library at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, or other libraries through our Interlibrary Loan program. All U.S. Government documents are cataloged and available by subject, title or agency in the library’s online catalog.
Nebraska Documents
WSC has been an official depository for Nebraska state documents since 1982. The collection includes microfiche copies of publications, and paper copies of reference and current legislative materials. Many of these materials are also available full-text online.
Online Resources
Key federal and state electronic documents are cataloged in and linked from the NSCS online catalog. Below you will find a list of key portals to government information of all types. For additional resources in the following areas, we have provided guides to selected government websites.
Key Government Portals
Selected Government Websites
Agencies and Departments of the Federal Government
- A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies: USA.gov
- Toll-Free Numbers by Department: National Contact Center
- United States Government Manual: Government Printing Office
Article Databases and Publications, Selected Titles
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: Information on congress members back to 1774.
- Budget of the United States Government: Coverage back to 1963.
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Occupational Outlook Quarterly: Career data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States: Published annually by the Census Bureau, electronic access available back to 1878.
- The World Factbook: Country data from the CIA.
Directories, Portals, and Databases of Publications
- Disability Resources
- ERIC: Education Resources Information Center.
- FDlink (formerly GPO Access): Portal for the Government Printing Office, includes catalog of governemnt documents.
- Federal Consumer Information Center: Pamphlets and books for consumer education.
- National Criminal Justice Reference Service: A database of CJ topics, including some full-text content.
- National Center for Bioinformation Information: Provides the Pubmed database for medical articles and other resources.
- Science.gov: Allows users to search across numerous science-related government databases.
- Thomas: Library of Congress' database of legislative information.
- Many, many more publications can be found using our catalog.
Government Information for Business and Economics
- Bureau of Economic Analysis: Provides GDP and other national economic measures.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Source for inflation, employment, productivity, wages, safety, and consumer spending statistics.
- Census Bureau: Collects economic census data every five years.
- EDGAR: Securities and Exchange Commission filings and forms database.
- Federal Consumer Information Center: Pamphlets and books on consumer topics.
- FRASER: Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research.
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Includes information on chemical and other industrial hazards.
Government Sources of Data and Statistics
U.S. Census Bureau
The Census Bureau conducts a number of census studies that provide economic and demographic information. Key publications found on the Census Bureau site include:
- American Community Survey: A continuous survey designed to provide data between decennial census dates.
- American Fact Finder: Providing population, housing, economic, and social data at the community level.
- CensusScope: An alternative interface to 2000 Census data with analysis provided by the SSDAN at the University of Michigan.
- Economic Indicators: Current and historical housing, manufacturing and trade statistics.
- State and County Quick Facts: Information on people, business, and geography at the state and county level.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States: A key reference tool for national statistics. It can also be perused in print in the library.
- U.S. and World Population Clocks: Current estimations of population.
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Part of the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Statistics provides many types of statistics on criminal justice:
- Crime & Justice Data Online: Data on criminal offenses, homicide, justice expenditures and more.
- Key Crime & Justice Facts at a Glance: Quick reference with charts.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. Key data sources include:
- Consumer Price Index: A measure of inflation.
- Employment and Unemployment
- Wages, Earnings and Benefits by geographic region or careers
Other Statistical Resources
- Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government: Learning adventures for children.
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics (RITA): Sources for all types of transportation.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Primary data gateway for the CDC.
- USAgov Statistics: Search federal government statistics sources across many agencies.
- National Center for Education Statistics: Provided by the Institute of Education Sciences of the Department of Education. Provides the Condition of Education indicators.
- National Weather Service: Forecasts, current weather, and some historical data.
- National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (now Institute of Museum and Library Services): Statistic sources on libraries.
- Nebraska Databook: Data, economic trends, research reports, statistics, profiles and demographics provided by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
- Nebraska Vital Statistics: Birth and death data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
- Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics: Gateway site to criminal justice statistics provided by SUNY Albany.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA): Statistics on alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse.
- Uniform Crime Reports: The FBI provides annual publications on crime in the U.S., hate crime, and officers killed and assaulted.
Government Websites on Education
- Department of Education: Federal site for education. Key contents:
- No Child Left Behind: policy documents and more.
- Education@USA.gov: Government resources for parents and educators.
- The Learning Page: Resources for teachers from the Library of Congress.
- National Center for Education Statistics: Includes The Condition of Education indicators.
- Nebraska's Coordinating Commission on Postsecondary Education: Promotes policy for Nebraska's state and community colleges.
- Nebraska Department of Education
- Nebraska Educational Service Units: Map and links.
- Nebraska State College System
- Studentaid.gov: A federal government portal designed for students. Includes links for federal financial aid information.
United States Federal Government Information Sources
Sources on the the U.S. Federal Government, including major branches of government.
Key Documents
- The Constitution of the United States: Includes interpretation, provided by the Government Printing Office.
- The Bill of Rights: National Archives
- The Declaration of Independence: Library of Congress
- Primary Documents in U.S. History: Additional documents can be located on this Library of Congress site.
Executive
- The Whitehouse: Information from the President and Vice President.
Judicial
- The Federal Judiciary: Portal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, District Courts and Bankruptcy Courts.
- Supreme Court of the United States: Official site.
Legislative
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: Searchable historical directory.
- The U.S. House of Representatives: Official site.
- The U.S. Senate: Official site.
- Thomas: Legislation resources provided by the Library of Congress.
Government Websites on Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Provides resources on many health and safety topics, also publishes the journals Emerging Infectious Diseases, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, and Preventing Chronic Disease.
- Food and Drug Administration: Oversees food, drug, medical devices, cosmetic, and radiation-emitting products.
- National Institutes of Health: Focuses on medical research, providing resources like Medline Plus and Pubmed databases.
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Parent department for the CDC, FDA, NIH, and many other agencies.
Legal Resources
Government Resources on Crime and Law Enforcement
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
- Bureau of Justice Statistics
- Career Information from the Department of Homeland Security
- Career Opportunities at the Department of Justice
- Department of Homeland Security: Oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FEMA, Coast Guard and Secret Service.
- Department of Justice
- Drug Enforcement Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Nebraska State Patrol: Statewide law enforcement agency, includes information on intenships and sworn careers.
- U.S. Marshals Service
Other Resources
- Lexis Nexis is an excellent source for federal and state cases, federal and state codes, tax law, and patents. Most of these resources can be accessed by selecting the "legal" tab after entering the database.
- Guide to Law Online: Provided by the Library of Congress, this annotated guide links to useful and reliable sites for legal information.
- Nebraska Judicial Branch: Official site for Nebraska state courts.
- Nebraska Supreme Court
- Supreme Court of the United States
Nebraska Information
Statistics
- Historical population by Nebraska counties
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: Research and statistical data.
- Nebraska Department of Economic Development Research and databook.
- Vital statistics from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
General State Websites
- Nebraska.gov: Primary state government website.
- Nebraska Blue Book: Agency information for state government. See also the NLC for historical versions.
- Nebraska Bureau of Business Research (UNL)
- Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Nebraska Legislature: Official page of the unicameral legislature.
- Nebraska Library Commission: Also provides Nebraska state information.
- Virtual Nebraska: Satellite data and community histories (UNL).
- Visit Nebraska: Tourism site.
Education
- Education Directory: From the NDE's Education Support Services.
- Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
- Nebraska Department of Education
- Nebraska State College System: Wayne, Peru and Chadron State Colleges
Federal Government Portals
The following links connect to multi-agency government web pages which have a narrowly-defined content area. Many of these sites were created by the E-gov initiatives.
Portals
- Business.usa.gov
- Consumer.gov: Primarily the Federal Consumer Information Center.
- Export.gov
- Factoring.net. Understand how the business of factoring works.
- Benefits.gov
- GobiernoUSA.gov: Spanish language equivalent to USA.gov.
- GovLoans.gov
- Grants.gov
- Kids.gov: Also useful for educators.
- Recreation.gov: Focused on outdoor recreation.
- Science.gov
- StudentAid.ed.gov: Meant for college students; FAFSA info.
- USA.gov: Primary portal to the entire federal government.
- USAJobs.gov: Employment opportunities.
- USCIS.gov: Information for immigrants.
Tax Information from the Government
When it's tax season you can use the following links to locate the State and Federal tax forms you need. In order to view and print tax forms, you will probably need the most current version of the Adobe PDF reader. The WSC Conn library no longer receives hard copies of tax forms, but you can print the forms using our public computers.
Tax Information
- Most federal forms can be printed directly from the IRS website. A good place to start is the 1040 Central page.
- The Nebraska Department of Revenue provides downloadable state tax forms for Nebraska residents.
- Likewise, the Iowa Department of Revenue provides state tax forms for Iowa.
Remember that WSC Conn Library does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided at these sites and cannot answer specific tax questions. Any concerns or questions about your specific tax situation should be discussed with a tax professional.
Wayne City and Wayne County
Local Government
Statistics & Other Information
- American Fact Finder Summary for Wayne City: Current census data from the Census Bureau
- Economic and Demographic Trends, Wayne County
- Virtual Nebraska: Wayne: History from UNL
- Wayne, Nebraska, map: Google maps
- Wayne Area Chamber of Commerce
- Wayne Area Economic Development, Inc.
- Wayne Chicken Show: Annual event