Utah State University has provided a specialized LibGuide designed to help researchers navigate and access presidential records and materials. The guide highlights that presidential materials are available in diverse formats, including bound volumes, microfilm, photocopies, and digital collections.
The resource notes that the preservation of these documents varies significantly, as presidential records were not considered property of the federal government until the Presidential Records Act of 1978.
The guide directs users to several key institutions and databases for historical research. The Library of Congress Manuscript Division holds records from 23 presidents, covering a date range from 1789 to 1929 with some gaps.
Researchers can also utilize the National Archives and Records Administration, which administers 13 presidential libraries through the Office of Presidential Libraries. Additionally, the American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, serves as a searchable database for materials dating from 1789 to the present, though it does not include all administration records.
For more recent materials, the guide points to the compilation of presidential documents released by the White House Press Secretary from 1992 to the present. Users can also access archived versions of past administration websites through the National Archives.
The USU Library Catalog can be searched for published bound editions of presidential papers, specifically within the Merrill-Cazier Special Collections Government Information section. The library serves as a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents, ensuring public access to government collections under Title 44 United States Code.
