Central Intelligence Agency Archives

Ever wondered what’s in C.I.A. reports about UFOs?

Want to know what intelligence the agency had during the Cold War?

Now you can find out!

Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room

The C.I.A. archives make tremendously interesting reading! Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), previously secret documents over 25 years old are automatically declassified and are available for public review.

These records date back to when the C.I.A. was first established. Many of the original documents have been scanned and can be viewed online. You can also request a declassified document that’s currently not available online.

Not all C.I.A. documents have been declassified, but those that have make fascinating reading!

Also, next time you are in the library, ask at the Reference Desk for another great resource, the C.I.A. World Factbook or view the online version.

Looking for Government Information?

How Do I get a Passport?

When Do I Itemize on my Federal Tax Return?

What is the population of the United States?

If you’re looking to find reliable government information such as grants, reports, statistics, forms, plus much more, then USA.gov is the place to look. The United States government is one of the largest information producers in the world and many of these valuable resources are available for free online.  

USA.gov

Most government agencies have their own individual websites, but this website gives you access to them all.  This large and interesting site is definitely worth a visit for the casual browser, but it’s also great for research and school projects. If you’re looking for specific government information, this is the perfect starting point for your search.

The site is also available in Spanish:

USA.gov en Español

Information on Your Favorite Authors

Here’s a great way to find out more about your favorite authors, whether it’s for a school project or just for your own reading interest.

The Scribner’s Writer’s Series database contains information on over 1600 authors. You can find biographical information, a selected bibliography of their work and in many cases, an essay about the writer.

You can search for authors alphabetically, by time period, gender, nationality or literary prize.

View the Scribner’s Writer’s Series from the library or your home computer through our online database page and search for more on your favorite author today!

How Do I Prepare for the Transition to Digital TV?

Beginning on February 17, television stations will change the way they send out TV signals.  They will stop sending analog signals (what we get now) and begin sending digital signals. This does not mean that you have to have a high definition TV, or even replace your current TV, but you do have to be able to receive digital signals.

First, determine if your TV can already receive digital signals:

• If you have cable or satellite TV, you won’t need to make any changes.
• If you don’t have cable or satellite TV, and you bought your TV within the last two years, you may or may not be affected. Check this website to see if your TV has a digital receiver already in it.
• If you don’t have cable or satellite TV, and your TV is older than two years old, you will probably be affected.

If you are affected, here’s what you need to do to convert your TV to digital:

1. Sign up for the waiting list to receive a coupon good for $40 off the purchase of a digital converter box. You can get one or two coupons, but you’ll need one converter box for each TV in your house that needs to be changed:

• Call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009); or
• Deaf or hard of hearing callers dial 1-877-530-2634 (9am-9pm Monday – Friday); or
• Apply online; or
• Print out a form and mail it or fax it to 1-877-388-4632.

2. Use the coupon to buy a digital-to-analog converter box. The converter boxes cost $40-$70 and are available at most electronics. You can search for a store here.

3. Attach the converter box to your TV.

Can’t Find a Book?

You’ve searched for a book in our library catalog only to find that we don’t have it. You really want to read it; does this mean buying it yourself is the only option?

No! Our Interlibrary Loan staff can try to find the book for you and borrow it from another library in the state or anywhere in the country.

Just call the Library Information Service at 225.231.3750 to request a book, or fill out the online form.