Government Information

Government Information, Maps and Microform Services (GIMMS) on East Tower 2 (ET2) in Wells Library is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law. (Title 44 United States Code.)

Indiana University -- Bloomington was designated a Federal Depository Library by Senator Benjamin Harrison in 1881. About 75% of our federal collection is cataloged and listed in IUCAT. Many special indexes and catalogs are listed here as resources but some may be available only in print.

In addition to these helpful links, you might also find our United States Government guides on topics such as Congress, the Presidents, and Citing U.S. Government Documents useful.

GIMMS is also home to an extensive collection of historic and current Indiana State documents. The materials included in this collection are primarily published by the state government, Indiana Territory, or government agencies. The collection also includes materials that were published by independent Indiana organizations such as the Indiana Historical Society or the League of Women Voters, to name a few.

In addition to documents pertaining to the state as a whole, the Indiana Collection consists of publications on counties and cities. Municipal and county publications include financial reports, annual budgets, workforce statistics, and more.

IUB Libraries additionally collects materials from hundreds of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs). The Libraries have been a Depository Library for United Nations documents since May 1969. The Libraries continue to collect IGO materials in print, though many publications are now received electronically as part of subscription databases or for free from the IGO individual websites.

Also found within the collection are foreign documents, which focus on official publications of national level governments worldwide, with the exception of the United States government.