Use Library resources to find policy documents of the
U.S. Federal Government.
- HeinOnline This link opens in a new windowHeinOnline is an extensive collection of historic documents of law and policy. Note the sections on Immigration Law & Policy in the U.S., and Women and the Law.
- Legislative Insight This link opens in a new windowUse the "TimeLine" tab to see search for documents grouped by topic, such as Immigration and Civil Rights.
- Nexis UniNexis Uni contains the text of both Federal and State laws (codes) and court cases.
- U.S. History (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new windowWhere available, some topics will include primary source materials, such as government documents and legislation. For example, see the government documents relating to immigration.
Getting started: Items found via the Library Catalog
Use the Sawyer Library catalog to search for books, such as:
The Salem Witch Trials by Call Number: View full text via ABC-CLIO ebooksISBN: 0313320950Publication Date: 2007-12-30Contains Primary documents : arrest warrants, confessions, death warrants, depositions, examinations, indictments, letters, petitions, recognizance, summons, verdicts.
Immigration Law Sourcebook by Call Number: Access online via Proquest Ebook CentralISBN: 1614380333Publication Date: 2013-02-26
- Foreign Students in the United States: Policies and LegislationCongressional Research Service Report (CRS), Domestic Social Policy Division, February 23, 2009.
Equal Play by Call Number: LAW TREATISES KF4166 .E68 2007ISBN: 1592133797Publication Date: 2007-12-28
Milestone Documents in American History by Call Number: REFERENCE E173 .M62 2008; and online.ISBN: 0979775809Publication Date: 2008-04-01Contains analysis and the full text of famous primary source documents from U.S. history.
Milestone Documents in African American History by Call Number: REFERENCE E184.6 .M55 2010, and online.ISBN: 1935306057Publication Date: 2010-06-01"[C]overs 125 iconic primary documents from the 1600s to the present."
History > Primary Sources > [May include policy documents]
- Historic Documents Online (Sage) This link opens in a new windowCovers the period 1972 - present.
The search function searches the entire Sage Knowledge platform of online reference books. Use the Advanced search, to limit terms to words in the title. - Congressional Publications & CRS Reports (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowProQuest Congressional allows you to explore Congress in action with the most comprehensive collection of Congressional publications from 1789-present available. You can perform in-depth research in public policy, historical, and legal areas of interest. Users will find indexing and abstracts for House and Senate reports and documents, Congressional committee prints and published hearings, information on members and committees, topic pages covering key concepts and policies, as well as the full text of many House and Senate documents, Hearings, Bills, nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports, Executive Orders, and more.
- Example from ProQuest Congressional:
"African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2015""Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations - Signed by the President. This content was originally sourced from the Federal Register, 1984-2016, Government Printing Office.
Individual U.S. government agencies may be tasked with creating and implementing policies.
- Selective Service System: RegistrationThe mission of the Selective Service is to "register men and maintain a system that, when authorized by the President and Congress, rapidly provides personnel in a fair and equitable manner while managing an alternative service program for conscientious objectors. "
- U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs: Visa Policy UpdatesUpdates on policy guidance from the U.S. State Department to U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world. Example: New Eyeglasses Policy for Visa and Passport Photographs (09/2016)