What is Government Information?

What is Government Information?

It is a term used to categorize any information disseminated by a government agency. As such, material produced by government bodies at the local, state, federal, and international level, in addition to government-funded institutions and organizations, are all considered government documents. They range from data and statistics, books, maps, articles, databases, laws and regulations, patents and trademarks, to current and historical publications dating to the formation of the United States. They are published in all formats - paper, microform, and electronic. 

U.S. Code (44 U.S.C. 1901) defines a government document as "...informational matter which is published as an individual document at government expense or as required by law.” Every governmental division produces documents, images, or artifacts that belong to the citizens of the United States and can be accessed through a variety of means online, by written request, through the Freedom of Information Act [FOIA], or by walking into many institutions and using their libraries or other resource station.