How to Search for Government Information

Using electronic card catalogs:

  • Search the San Joaquin Valley Library System Online Catalog. Most government documents available from the Fresno County Public Library are housed at the Central Branch. If you need a document in the collection, please see a librarian. Please note that at the moment, a large portion of our documents collection has not yet been cataloged.
  • For federal government publications not listed in the SJVLS catalog, search the Government Printing Office’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP). The CGP contains more than 500,000 records of official government publications dating from 1976 to the present. Many of the records provide a direct link for online access if they are available over the internet.
  • For state government publications not listed in the SJVLS catalog, search the California State Library Online Catalog. Some records also provide a direct link for online viewing.

Over the World Wide Web:

  • Search the California Website for information from the state agencies and offices.
  • Search USA.gov for official information and services available from the U.S. Government.
  • Use the Library’s popular topics guide to browse for state and federal information by subject.