In addition to preserving the records, archivists work to make them readily available to a wide spectrum of citizens such as historians seeking to understand the past, lawyers preparing briefs, journalists researching today's stories, agency officials exploring the origins of a policy, veterans pursuing their legal rights, people tracing their family roots, and students preparing papers. Thousands of people call, write, and visit NARA to get information from and about our records. More than 300,000 people annually make research visits to archival facilities, and staff respond to an additional 800,000 oral and written requests for records and information.
Archivists assist researchers with a variety of topics.
NARA also serves as a national cultural institution by involving millions of people in public programs at all of our facilities. NARA publishes the government's daily newspaper of rules and regulations, the Federal Register , as well as the Code of Federal Regulations , the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents , the Public Papers of the Presidents , The United States Government Manual , and the U.S. Statutes at Large . Federal Register publications form an important link between the federal government and those affected by its regulations and actions. Related Resources on NARA's Website Find out about public programs offered at NARA's facilities nationwide. Look at the Digital Classroom and its resources for teachers.