Research using government documents and data can be complicated and confusing. This guide provides links to external (non-Augustana) websites and library resources that are continually working to compile and provide access to missing data.
Several of the library guides are excellent starting points for any kind of government research at any time in history, and will be helpful now and well into the future!
Please note that this guide is not comprehensive, nor is it meant to be. It offers several "starting points" for students and faculty looking to find data that may no longer be available on government websites, and attempts to identify the best - and most likely to be continually updated - points of entry to such resources.
The United States government has long compiled huge amounts of data on topics ranging from science and technology, healthcare, social services, education, etc. This data represents both domestic and international information.
In 2025, President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders directing government agencies to modify or delete thousands of webpages and datasets.
Information professionals - including librarians, archivists, researchers, and data analysts - have long worked to archive websites and data that might otherwise be ephemeral; these individuals have recently stepped up their efforts to save as much information as possible. A selection of some of the most useful of these resources can be found here.
