There are hundreds of government-supported and funded archives and libraries. These organizations are either attached to government agencies to support government work or may be open to the public for research using government information.
Presidential libraries are archives and museums which house the papers of each presidential administration. These organizations collect and house the records, documents, and artifacts of the administration and make them available to the public for research over time. Some material in presidential libraries is not accessible because the material is still classified.
Prior to the establishment of the Presidential Libraries Act in 1955, many presidential records were lost, destroyed, or sold. The existing material from earlier administrations is often in poor condition due to improper handling and storage. There are currently 14 presidential libraries in the system which is overseen by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Numerous private and academic archives contain government information from retired officials, journalists, or acquired through freedom of information requests. Some of this material is digitized and print material may be available for in-person research.
