Showcasing selected materials from US government public records, America Informed pulls from the breadth of materials available through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). Featuring items from a wide selection of government agencies and branches, the exhibit covers everything from declassified files and handbooks to recipes and comic books. Many of these documents are produced by or for US federal agencies within the three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Using statistics, images, and government reports, America Informed centers topics chosen by student curators: queer health and history, Vietnam War propaganda and misinformation, and the September 11th terrorist attacks. With documents spanning the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the exhibit captures different periods in US history, sharing information intended to support government accountability, transparency, and an informed public. Histories of the FDLP and US Government Publishing Office are also included to detail the significance and importance of accessible public records.

Curated by Antoinette Avila and UC Irvine students Kat Hansell (2024), Kane Hong (2025), Monica Gomez (2024), and Baly Martinez (2025)

Edited by Christina Acevedo, Cheryl Baltes, and Cynthia Johnson

Designed by Luisa Lee

Exhibit will be on display in the Science Library from December 2024 through April 2025 during regular library hours