Why You Need Them

Who Publishes Them

Their Formats

The Information in Them

Tracking Them Down

Printable Checklist

Tracking Down Government Documents: Historical Records

Government documents are also a rich source of historical records. Only a tiny fraction is available online.

above: Pvt. Ruth L. James on gate duty, France, 1945 -- a photograph from the National Archives and Records Administration.

You can find out what is available at ISU by checking LUIS
or asking a librarian. You can find out what is available at other libraries by checking WorldCat.

One good source is the book Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970.