Government Document Depository

Did you know that Monmouth College is the oldest United States federal government document depository in the state of Illinois AND the fourth oldest in the nation? Monmouth College began collecting government publications in 1860, one hundred and ten years before Hewes Library even opened!

Hewes Library selects up to 16% of what the GPO (Government Printing Office) publishes from various government agencies. Most of the materials are now freely accessible online, but Monmouth still has many print sources dating back to the 1840s.

The age of this collection is uniquely useful as it allows researchers to trace the history and evolution of American governmental policies over the last 150 years. Some of the older volumes may be well-worn, but it’s the information inside them that counts.

Since many of the materials prior to 1994 are not in the online catalog, feel free explore the Hewes Library govdoc website, and ask a librarian for help finding materials!

~ written by Megan Horack ('17)

Pictured here, from top: Congressional Serials Set, Census publications, Atlas of the Union and Confederate Armies