About the Oregon Blue Book
About
The Oregon Blue Book is the state's official directory and fact book. It contains listings and functional descriptions of government agencies and educational institutions. It also features an almanac, maps, facts about Oregon history and elections, as well as information on the arts, media, and other cultural institutions in Oregon. The print version of the Blue Book is published during odd-numbered years as required by ORS 177.120. The Web version is updated regularly as information about changes becomes available.
Goals and Features
The primary goal of the Blue Book is to help the citizens of Oregon understand and gain access to their government and related institutions. To accomplish this, the Blue Book provides thousands of Web links. But understanding requires more than just directories that list Web sites. Accordingly, the Blue Book is brimming with original content:
Several resources, such as the Economy, Government Finance, and History sections, provide in-depth analysis to better place the Oregon experience in context.
Dozens of state agency histories (see PDF example) show how state offices and functions have evolved since the first provisional government in the 1840s.
Records retention schedules (see PDF example) describe the functions of state agency programs in concise, straightforward language to help make large and complex agencies a little easier to comprehend.
One of dozens of images from the new Woman Suffrage Centennial exhibit.
Of course, the Oregon experience consists of much more than just understanding government. For a broader perspective, the Blue Book provides access to hundreds of Oregon art and culture organizations, newspapers, radio and television stations, and more. And the Oregon Topics section includes hundreds of links to subjects that cut across rigid organizational hierarchies.
It also features cultural exhibits such as one celebrating the centennial of woman suffrage in Oregon and one showing the evolution of the Blue Book over 100 years. Other exhibits include Century Farms and Ranches; Depression Era Public Works; the Lewis and Clark Exposition exhibit of 1905 memorabilia; Oregon Trademarks, which interprets the state's colorful business history; and Oregon at Work, which displays the incredible range of Oregon occupations over the decades. Meanwhile, the Notable Oregonians Guide offers biographical sketches of 70 individuals who have become prominent in various pursuits.
And kids are not left out. The kid's corner has a wealth of games, quizzes, trivia, and other resources.
Explore!
Like Oregon, the Blue Book is expansive - totaling thousands of Web pages. We encourage you to explore the Blue Book and, by extension, explore the state itself. The scenic photos displayed throughout the Blue Book will give you a taste of the rich natural and cultural beauty to be found in Oregon. You can also take a photo tour or the governmental center of Oregon, the State Capitol.
And as you explore, please let us know if you have suggestions for making the Blue Book a better tool for understanding and accessing Oregon resources.
To learn more about using the Blue Book, please refer to the frequently asked questions page. If you have problems using the Blue Book, please refer to the help page.