British Columbia
Under the BC Financial Information Act certain government and public bodies are required to issue an annual statement of financial information, commonly referred to as the "blue book", listing the total remuneration paid to each employee and the amount paid to each supplier of goods or services.
United States
In the U.S., the term "blue book" had its origins as "the name given to a printed book containing the names of all the persons holding office under the Government of the United States, with the amount of their pay" (Dictionary of Americanisms). The term has since been popularly applied to like publications.
"Blue book" is also used in reference to a number of other U.S. publications. According to Black's Law Dictionary, the term can variously denote:
- a compilation of session laws
- a volume formerly published to give parallel citation tables for a volume in the National Reporter System
- in English law, a government publication, such as a Royal Commission report, issued in a blue paper cover.
Finally, "The Bluebook" is the popular name for the Harvard Law Review Association's Uniform System of Citation, an authoritative guide to legal citation. In the 1990s, "Bluebook" was officially incorporated into the title, which is now called The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.
Content reviewed May 26, 2025
- Black's Law Dictionary, 11th edition – on site at Courthouse Libraries
- The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation – on site at Courthouse Libraries
- Dictionary of Americanisms by John Russel Bartlett – UBC Libraries
- Financial Information Act, RSBC 1996 c. 140 – BC Laws
- Financial Information Regulation (BC Regulation 371/93) – BC Laws
- National Reporter Blue Book – on site at Courthouse Libraries