United States Government Publications

The Collection || Circulation | Call Numbers | Cataloging
Indexes | Finding Federal Publications
CD-ROM and Online Resources

The Collection

Ramsey Library collects U.S. government publications in a variety of formats, including books, pamphlets, posters, microfiche, CD-ROM, computer diskette, and online databases that are available through the Internet. U.S. government publications are particularly useful sources of information for statistics, science and technology, and consumer affairs. They are indispensable for researching the workings of government and tracing legislation.

Circulation

Most government publications can be checked out by UNCA students, faculty, and staff, except for titles that are used for reference, such as Census material. To check them out, a valid UNCA ID or Friends of the Library card is needed. Government publications not available at UNCA may be obtained for students, faculty, and staff through the ABC Express system or through Interlibrary Loan. The general public may also request government publications that are not available at UNCA through the interlibrary loan service at their local public library.

Call Numbers

Each federal publication is assigned a unique number, called the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) number. SuDocs numbers are assigned by the Government Printing Office. The SuDocs number is based upon the name of the agency that issued the publication, not the subject matter. Each SuDocs number begins with a letter or letters assigned to the publishing agency. Other letters and numbers are added to further identify subordinated bureaus, type of publication, series, or title:

	A			Department of Agriculture
	A  13.			Forest Service (subordinate bureau)
	A  13. 78		Forest Service research papers
	A  13. 78: SE-68	Research paper no. 68 of series SE

Cataloging

Most government publications received after 1992 are indexed in the online catalog, but some documents received before 1992 are not cataloged.

Indexes to U. S. Government Publications

LexisNexis Academic

LexisNexis offers full-text access to the U.S. Code, the Code of Federal Regulations, hearing transcripts, case law, including tax cases. Lexis-Nexis also indexes many sources of government, political and legal news.

CQ Weekly Report

Ref JK 1 .C15
Although not an index in the usual sense, this timely report of the current happenings in Congress can help immensely in tracing legislation. It provides background information and summaries of proposed legislation, report numbers, the status of pending legislation, and records roll call votes. Semi-annual and annual indexes are included. Superseded by the Congressional Quarterly Almanac - Ref JK 1 .C66.

Finding U. S. Government Publications

Government information is arranged on the shelf by Superintendent of Documents number (SuDocs). Keep in mind that unlike the Library of Congress call number, the SuDocs number reflects the issuing agency of the publication, not its subject matter.Most government documents received since 1992 are listed in the online catalog and can be searched on the library catalog terminals. Most records for government documents held at UNCA before 1992 are in the documents card catalog, located near the government information collection. The card catalog includes those records for documents shelved in special places, such as current periodicals, reference, or the microform area. The card catalog is organized by SuDocs number, so you must have the SuDocs number first, if you are searching in the government documents card catalog.

The current year of some government periodicals may be shelved in the current periodicals area, with back issues shelved in the government information area. Some government publications are available in formats other than paper; including microfiche, CD-ROM, and computer diskette. The government microfiche is shelved in cabinets just outside the government documents office. You can view the fiche on the machines in the microforms area. The government CD-ROMs and diskettes are shelved in the cabinets across from the microfiche. Most of the frequently used electronic titles are now available on the World Wide Web, but Ramsey Library selects many CD-ROM titles that you can use in the library.

CD-ROM and Internet Resources

Ramsey Library selects a variety of major CD-ROM titles issued by federal government agencies. This medium is used to store large data files, like the 1990 Census of Housing and Population, to provide full text of agency documents like State Department memos, or to provide bibliographies on topics, such as criminal justice.

Internet resources are available from all branches of the federal government. Most of the data that used to be available only in CD-ROM format is now accessible on the World Wide Web.

For more information please contact Bryan Sinclair, (828)232-5094, e-mail sinclair@bulldog.unca.edu. Other members of the Documents staff will also be happy to assist you.

Top of document | North Carolina government publications | Internet resources | Home

Ramsey Library UNCA