First observation: The Wisconsin Blue Book is not as blue as it used to be

Photo by Retiring Guy

Want your own copy?  Contact one of your state legislators.  

The first "Blue Book' was published in 1853.  Thanks to a UW-Madison Libraries digitization project, all volumes are available online.

It has been published under a variety of titles:

• Manual for the use of the assembly, of the state of Wisconsin, for the year 1853
• A manual of customs, precedents, and forms, in use in the Assembly of the state of Wisconsin: together with the rules, the apportionment, and other lists and tables for reference, with indices.  (annual, 1859-1872)
• The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitution of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc.  (annual, 1883-1878)
• The blue book of the state of Wisconsin, for 1879. Containing the constitutions of the United States and of the state; Jefferson's manual; rules and orders of the senate and assembly, and annals of the legislature; also, statistical tables and history of state institutions.  (1879)
• The blue book of the state of Wisconsin.  (1880-1884)
• The blue book of the state of Wisconsin. Comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also lists and tables for reference, etc. (1885)
• The blue book of the state of Wisconsin (biennial, 1887-1913)
• The Wisconsin blue book  (biennial:  1913-1937, 1940-1966)
• The Wisconsin book (1967)
• The Wisconsin blue book (1968)
• The Wisconsin book (1969)
• The state of Wisconsin blue book (annual, 1970, 1971)
• The state of Wisconsin blue book (biennial, 1973-to date)