Research Guides: Political Science, Government & Law: Suggested Resources

Online Reference

Collections of various reference books available online. Just click the links below and search for your topic.

Gale Virtual Reference Library - ebooks This link opens in a new window
Database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. Over 1600 titles.
Coverage: 1961 - present
Oxford Reference Online Premium - Ebooks This link opens in a new window
Contains over 390 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford, including titles in Oxford Companions Series. All books are cross-searchable.
Coverage: 2002 - present
EBSCO eBook Collection This link opens in a new window
Over 15,000 titles of multidisciplinary e-books representing a broad range of academic subjects. The breadth of information available provides students and scholars with access to information relevant to their research needs.
Added MasterFile Reference, over 700 titles, in 2022.
Added Nursing Ebooks, over 600 titles, in Feb 2023.
Coverage: 1983-present
eBook Central - Academic Complete Collection This link opens in a new window
These collections offer over 240,000 multi-disciplinary e-books with powerful research tools and DRM-free chapter downloads. Ebook Central Library offers concurrent access, read aloud for all titles, and a download option for offline access. Need special software to download whole book. Many books in other languages.
Coverage: 1920 - present

Government Sources

Legal Sources

Criminal Justice

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Central Intelligence Agency
The Department of Justice
The FBI
Federal Bureau of Prisons - Presents an overview of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Also provides information and statistics on the number of prisons and prisoners. Provides statistics on inmates by security level, gender, race, ethnicity, average age, sentence imposed, and type of offense.
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics - Presents data covering all aspects of criminal justice in the United States. Includes more than 600 tables from over 100 sources.
Bureau of Justice Statistics - BJS is the primary statistical agency of the Department of Justice. Their mission is to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government.
Uniform Crime Reports (Crime Data Explorer) - Provides a nationwide view of crime based on statistics which are submitted by law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.
Death Penalty Information Center - Provides information and statistics on capital punishment.

These are located on the shelf in the Reference section of the Library:

Encyclopedia of Political Thought by Garrett Ward Sheldon (Editor)
Call Number: Ref JA61 .E52 2001
ISBN: 0816043515
Publication Date: 2001
World Encyclopedia of Political Systems and Parties, 3-Volume Set by Larry L. Mai
Call Number: Ref JF2011 .W67 2006
ISBN: 9780816059539
Publication Date: 2006
The U. S. Constitution A to Z by Robert L. Maddex
Call Number: Ref KF4548 .M33 2002
ISBN: 1568026994
Publication Date: 2002
Dictionary of Crime: criminal justice, criminology & law enforcement by Jay R. Nash
Call Number: Ref HV6017 .E5425 1992
ISBN: 1557785090
Publication Date: 1992
Black's Law Dictionary by A. Bryan Garner (Editor-In-Chief)
Call Number: Ref KF156 .B53 2014
ISBN: 0314613005
Publication Date: 2014

Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court provides information about recent decisions, opinions, and hearings.
The United States House of Representatives · House.gov
Information about legislative activities in the House of Representatives.
United States Senate
Information about legislative activities in the Senate.
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
Home page of the U.S. Government's Official Web Portal for direct online access to federal, state, local, and tribal governments. The bureaus of Labor, Economics, Census, and Justice, and many more can be found here.
Federal Government Statistics - USA Facts
It provides links to information produced by a number of Federal agencies.
Data from US Govt Agencies