How to Do Library Research

This set of pages has information on how to do library research. In all cases, once you have located sources, be sure to evaluate them, using the evaluation guides.

Current Issues Research

Use these websites to find information on current issues.

Government Sources

State of Colorado

Colorado Home Page See also Quick Guide to Colorado Government Statistical Information
- General Assembly
- Colorado State Judicial Branch includes Water Courts
State Demography Office Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
Larimer County--Virtual Courthouse
Compass of Larimer County (data about social, economic and environmental issues)
Hot Topics in Larimer County
- Policies and Ordinances
- Department of Health and the Environment Food Inspection Reporting System. Gives sanitation ratings for food establishments (restaurants/other food services) in Larimer County (including Fort Collins, Loveland, etc.).
City of Fort Collins

National

Whitehouse. United States President's home.
Site has information on U.S. Presidents, White House facts, first families, first ladies, and more. Focus is on current administration. Major issues arranged by topic. Can search the site via search box.

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. Self-indexed. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barak Obama, and Donald J. Trump online.
AE 2.109 Government Documents Reference (current)

Public Papers of the President (Federal Register) for Reagan forward; also Public Papers of the President (National Archives) same years.
AE 2.114 Government Documents
CQ Weekly (formally Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report) CQWonline.
MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report)
HE 20 7009 [ff] Government Documents Reference (current)
National Center for Health Statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
U.S. Treasury Department -- Public Debt to the penny
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Census Bureau
The World Factbook.(Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]) gives information about countries worldwide.

States--United States of America

State and Local Government on the Net Piper Resources.
- Links to state (including departments), city, and county levels of government.
WashLAW Web. Washburn University School of Law.
- Links to Circuit Courts and more. State links are to legal and legislative information.

Washington D.C. & International

CQ Researcher. 1991- (formally Editorial Research Reports 1924-1990) H 35 .E32 latest year on Reserve, earlier years in Reference. Available online to CSU affiliates through the library catalog and directly through the Databases page (and here).
- Issues contain 20+ pages of factual background information on a current social, political, or economic issue by an expert in the field. Includes chronology, footnotes, bibliography, and cumulative subject index.
Europa World Year Book. JN 1 .E85 Reference
- Each country has listing with recent history, economic affairs, government, etc. Also includes economic and demographic surveys with latest available statistics on population, agriculture, etc.
National Journal. Weekly. Online to CSU affiliates. 1970-2004 in Storage.
- Information about Washington D.C. doings and people. Current affairs are emphasized. Example topics (these vary by issue): demographics, immigration, the economy, employment and labor, foreign affairs, trade, policy.

Editorials/Opinions & News Briefs

Editorials are a great place to find opinions--for and against something. These can help bolster an argument or provide an opposing point of view that can be argued against.

Editorials on File. 1971-2009.
D 839 .E3 Reference last two years; earlier years in Bound Journals
- Topics accompanied by brief factual summary of the events. Cross references to Facts on File. Covers over 150 daily newspapers in North America (45% of U.S. and 40% of Canadian newspaper editorials).
Facts on File. 1941-2010. Weekly.
D 410 .F3 Reference last four years; earlier years in Morgan
- Weekly distillation of news and current information reported in more than 70 newspapers and news magazines. Cumulative index and annual yearbook. Has maps and tables.
Keesing's Record of World Events. 1983-2009. Indexed.
D 410 .K4 Reference