Government Information on the Internet

The U.S. federal government has been a major publisher on the Internet. Its many agencies have used the Internet, and the Web most recently, to provide access to a great quantity of their information output. Several agencies such as the Library of Congress and the Government Printing Office have taken a leading role in both providing information and offering finding aids, while other endeavors such as FirstGov and subject gateways offer other avenues of access. A brief look back at the history of the government on the Web and the continuing concerns and challenges show how the government is not only a major content provider on the Internet but also a source for the organization of the content.