1

The United States government is the largest producer of information in the world. As a whole, it not only publishes an abundance of information on nearly every subject imaginable, but it also produces it in many different formats. Reports, documents, orders, treaties, statistics, laws, data sets, books, ebooks, journal articles, and websites are just a few of the varieties of information you will encounter while searching for government information. While some of these documents continue to emerge in tangible formats — paper, CDs, DVDs, or microfiche — the vast majority of current government information is disseminated online. Government information stems from a wide variety of branches, agencies, departments, and offices, many of which operate with a large degree of autonomy, and knowing where to search can overwhelm even seasoned researchers.

Government Publishing Office (GPO)

Prior to the creation of the Government Printing Office (GPO) in 1860, a variety of newspaper and commercial publishers helped to record, publish and preserve the activities of government. Increasingly unsatisfied with this arrangement, Congress in 1860 authorized the Superintendent of Public Printing to develop his own system for printing government records.

While a detailed history of GPO provides fascinating cultural and technological shifts, the basic goal of GPO remains to this day that of “keeping America informed.” A name change in 2014 to the Government Publishing Office signaled the agency’s commitment to producing and disseminating government information not only in traditional print formats, but also in a variety of other ways relevant to citizens of a digital era.