JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri history buffs have new online tool.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has posted historic copies of Missouri's official state manual on the Web. The "Blue Book," as it is commonly known, has been printed every two years since 1878. It lists government officials, election results and various other facts and figures about the state.

Carnahan says the Blue Books from 1889 to 1972 now are available online. Eventually, every manual will be scanned and posted on the Internet.

The manuals can be found by going to www.missouridigitalheritage.com and selecting "collections," then choosing the "government and political records" section.

Paper copies of the Blue Book also are still produced. The 2009-2010 version is to be released on Tuesday.