The New Jersey State Library is a federal depository library. Federal publications and other information products are made available for free public use in Federal depository libraries throughout the United States and its territories. In addition to the publications, trained librarians are available to assist in their use. For detailed information about the Federal Depository Library Program, visit ask.gpo.gov.
Collection
The federal depository section of the State Library offers extensive research collections of social science materials, statistical reports and congressional documents. The collection is one of the oldest and largest in the state. The State Library is a primary participant in the State Data Center and serves as a contact point for census data inquiries.
Major holdings are from the departments of Commerce, Education, Environmental Protection, Health and Human Services, Justice, and Labor.
Statistical reports printed by the Census Bureau are held back to 1790. We also have special New Jersey maps for the 1970-2000 censuses. Most current Census data are primarily available via the Internet at: www.census.gov. The library also subscribes to the Statistical Abstract of the U.S., which provides indexing and selected full-text access back to 1970 for a variety of statistical reports from various agencies.
Congressional reports and documents are held from 1776-1889 and 1921 to the present. Current reports and documents are also available on the Government Publishing Office’s govinfo website at: https://www.govinfo.gov . The library subscribes to ProQuest Congressional which includes an online index back to 1789.
The Library provides online access to the Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL). The Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) is the nation’s premier collection of homeland security policy and strategy related documents.
Microforms comprise a substantial portion of earlier holdings in the collection. Electronic formats are an increasing part of the collection, everything from statistics to laws and regulations and government reports are found in this format. Publications in hard copy and electronic format are included in the online catalog.
Older materials and items not cataloged may be found through the original government indexes, through printed commercial indexes or through electronic databases. The State Library’s online indexes include HeinOnline, ProQuest Congressional and EBSCO Discovery Service. The Government Publishing Office’s free database, the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, indexes federal documents from 1976 to the present.
For more information about Government Publishing Office resources, see www.gpo.gov.
For additional online resources, see our U.S. Government Information Research Guide.
Services
Reference services are available in person, by telephone, and by email.
The library has acquired access to various electronic data sources via the Internet and other electronic sources. Direct Internet access is available to the public on-site and remotely to State employees with a library card. View detailed information on our list of US Government databases.
Photocopying machines, microform reader-printers and scanners are available.
Collection Policy
Most documents are available for circulation or photocopying. CD-ROM/DVD materials are reserved for onsite use except by special arrangement. Users may be referred to another depository for direct access to materials not held. State employees and Thomas Edison students may request documents not held by the State Library via interlibrary loan.
Location
New Jersey State Library
185 West State St.
(mailing address: PO Box 520)
Trenton, NJ 08625
Level 4 – U.S. Documents Reference
Level 4 and Level 1 – U.S. Documents
Level 3 – Legal materials are located in the Law Library.
Contact
Telephone: 609-278-2640 ext. 103
E-Mail: Reference Services
Librarian: Leigh Clark, US Documents Librarian
