Government Publications

OSU Libraries are open.   Check https://library.osu.edu/ to get the latest information on OSUL’s hours and COVID-19 related protocols.   Need assistance with Government Documents or if you have questions concerning Government information please contact Mary Ann Ries (ries.3@osu.edu) via email.  Office hours Monday thru Thursday 8 am-4 pm, and Friday afternoons by prior appointment only.

As technology evolves so do government publications. At times it is easier to say what is not then what is a government publication. It is defined in the U.S. Code (44 U.S.C. 1901) as "...informational matter which is published as an individual document at Government expense, or as required by law."  York University has advanced one of the best definitions to date

Publications, regardless of physical form, issued or published by authority of a government body. Specifically: those issued or published by the executive, legislative, and judicial functions of government at all levels - international, national, federal, local government bodies and intergovernmental bodies.

All levels of government from local governments to international treaty organizations, such as the European Union and the United Nations produce government documents and information. In general the larger the entity the more likely it is to publish. These publications range the gambit from primary source materials for scholarly research to informational pamphlets for the general public.

The following links are to government, academic, consumer-oriented, etc. sites of interest. Here are a few highlights:

• Surviving an Active Shooter Event.  Video developed by OSU Police with strategies for surviving an active shooter incident, also includes links to other videos on the topic.
• Plagiarism Information. (Purdue University Global - Writing Center) Information on what is plagiarism, and how to avoid it.  Includes FAQs and videos on the topic.
• Preventing Sexual Assault on Campus. (Best Colleges.com) Provides links to reports and resources on the topic of sexual assault and abusive partner relationships, tips on assault prevention, steps to take if assaulted, etc.  
• Stop Think Connect Resource Guide. (Department of Homeland Security/National Cyber Security Alliance) Links to videos, websites, etc. on cybersecurity topic such as smart phone security, identity theft, file sharing, social networking, etc.

For a complete listing of topics and sites see Government Documents and Information - Hot Topics A- L and/or Hot Topics M-Z. Inclusion in Hot Topics does not mean that OSUL or The Ohio State University endorse the site, or its contents.

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