Arizona State and Local Government Information

We encourage patrons to take advantage of our "Ask-a-Librarian service for government information" for appointment requests, research support, and other access needs. (https://lib.asu.edu/govdocs/govdoc-info)

Requests for materials for non-ASU affiliates can be made but must be accompanied by an appointment to use the materials in the library. 

ASU Library makes a concerted effort to acquire the valuable materials published by our state and local agencies. The Arizona State and Local Government Documents collection currently consists of over 45,000 documents published since 1912. The collection, shelved in the High Density Storage Collection, is filed by a classification system developed by this library. This system, like the Superintendent of Documents classification system, arranges materials by issuing agency rather than by subject. Included are annual reports and budgets for state and local agencies, Arizona Revised Statutes, and the Arizona Administrative Code as well as state legislative materials. The collection also contains state and local government annual reports, budgets and other financial reports, planning documents, and significant reports on topics such as crime, transportation, health, and other areas that affect local governments, as well as journals such as Arizona Wildlife.

Access to the Arizona State and Local Government Documents collection is through the ASU Library Catalog. All publications are fully cataloged and entries are integrated into the Catalog. Records indicate AZDOC as the location.

The current policy for acquisition of materials for this collection focuses on state agencies, all 15 Arizona Counties, several incorporated cities and towns, and various associations of local governments. All formats of publications are collected, with permanent housing of print materials in the High Density Storage Center (available by request), and electronic materials available directly through the ASU Online Catalog. Specialized assistance is available in-person, over the phone, or via email.

For an excellent introduction to understanding local government in Arizona, the book Arizona Local Government is highly recommended. This book is in our High Density Storage Collection, and can be requested from that link. For the bigger picture of local governments in the United States, please refer to the Census of Governments. For the latest Census data on local Arizona please refer to the State Data Center.