HOW TO FIND UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

Many publications or documents of the United States government are made available through depository libraries, including the UWM Libraries. The UWM Libraries select documents on the basis of curriculum needs. Documents circulate following the rules of other library materials.

Many government publications in the library are cataloged, classified, and shelved in the general collection. Other government publications are shelved in the documents area of the Reference Room or in the Microforms Area, shelved by Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) numbers. Most documents may be searched by author, title, or subject in PantherCat, the online catalog.

If a document does not appear in the online catalog and is not located in the documents area by SuDoc number, ask a librarian for assistance. The document may be available in a series, on microfiche, CD-ROM, the Internet, or at the regional depository at Milwaukee Public Library.

SuDoc number prefixes correspond to departments and agencies of the federal government, e.g. "NAS" for NASA documents, "A" for Department of Agriculture, and are not a subject arrangement. SuDoc numbers may be located in a variety of indexes for government publications. The principal index for government publications was the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, now online. Other indexes may also be of value in finding government publications: the American Statistics Index and CIS Index (CIS annual} are published by non-governmental sources and cover a specific type of government publication.

The following is a select list of indexes and additional aids for searching for government publications.

INDEXES

Catalog of U. S. Government Publications1976-dateResources A-Z
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS844
A CD or web index for U.S. documents distributed to depository libraries. {Title varies} See also Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications.
Government Reports Announcements and Index
NTIS Order Now
1946-1994
1995-1998/Mar
current
Z 7916 .B481x
(REF) (CD) ZA 4150 .U55
http://www.ntis.gov/search.htm
This indexes scientific and technical reports that are funded by the federal government but not distributed to depository libraries. The majority of these reports are available through interlibrary loan. {Title varies; call number may vary slightly}
Index to U.S. Government Periodicals
U.S. Government Periodicals Index
1970-1987
1994-date
(REF) Z 1223 .Z9 I5
(REF) Z 1223 .Z9 I52x
These index 170 major journals published by the federal government. Access is by subject, author, and title. Major periodicals published by the government are also covered by other published subject indexes.
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications1895-1995
1996-2000/Jan
(REF) Z 1223 .A18
(REF) (CD) Z 1223 .A18
The principal index to documents distributed to depository libraries and selected other documents. Access is by title/keyword, author, subject, report number, SuDoc number, and GPO sales stock number. {Title varies}. See Catalog of U. S. Government Publications.
Other departments may have online publications list or much data online, such as U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of the Census.


For an extensive, chronological search of early government documents, beginning with 1774, the following indexes may be used.

Descriptive Catalogue of the Government Publications of the United States, September 5, 1774-March 4, 1881

(REF) Z 1223 .A 1970
Referred to as �Poore�s� after the editor.

United States Congressional Serial Set Catalog

1941-date
(REF) Z 1223.A15
The official publication covering Congressional documents and reports has changed titles and formats
over the years; early volumes were titled Numerical List. See also CIS US Serial Set Index.

Checklist of United States Public Documents, 1789-1909

(REF) Z 1223 .A113 1962

Checklist of United States Public Documents, 1789-1970, with supplements to 1973

(REF) Z 1223 .Z7 U52 and (MC) Z 06

Comprehensive Index to the Publications of the United States Government, 1881-1893

(REF) Z 1223 .A 1962
Referred to as "Ames" after the editor.

Catalogue of the Public Documents of the ...Congress and of all departments of the Government of the United States. ... March 4, 1893 - December 31, 1940

(REF) Z 1223 .A13
Referred to as the �Documents Catalog.�

INDEXES - Commercial

American Statistics Index (ASI)
LexisNexis Statistical�
1974-1997
Dates vary
(REF) HA 214 .A5x
Resources A-Z
ASI indexed statistics collected and/or published by the U.S. government. The Retrospective volume covered all material in print as of 1 January 1974; therefore selected older materials may be found in this collection. The microfiche full-text materials are found in the Microforms area. Current indexing and full-text materials are available via the online LexisNexis resource.
CIS Index {CIS Annual}1970-date(REF) KF 49 .C4x
This indexes congressional publications, including hearings, bills, and Congressional documents and reports. The microfiche full-text materials are found in the Microforms area.
CIS US Serial Set Index1789-1969(REF) Z 1223 .Z9 C65 1975
Indexes Congressional documents and reports published as the �Serial Set.� The volumes indexing maps in the Serial Set are available in the AGSL. For holdings of the Serial Set, check the libraries' catalog.

INTERNET RESOURCES

Every year there are more government resources available online. This is a select list of possible places to start a search.

Catalog of U. S. Government Publications

http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS844
1994-date
This index contains bibliographic records for most of the information available through depository libraries. Search by title/ keyword, SuDoc number, Depository number, or GPO sales stock number. See also Catalog of U. S. Government Publications (under �Indexes�).
GPO Access
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
Current materials: years of coverage vary
This allows searching of the full-text of the Federal Register, Congressional Record, Congressional bills and laws, and much other legislative, executive, and judicial federal government information.
Federal Internet Source: a Directory of Nearly 300 Sources of Government Information on the Internet and How to Find and Use Them     [1995]
TK 5105 .875 .I57 F43x
This source gives an overview of understanding Internet addresses and lists Internet addresses of the various agencies within the U.S. government.
Government Information on the Internet     [2ed]
(REF) ZA 5075 .N69 1998

Guide to Government Information Available on the Internet     [1996]

TK 5105 .875 .I57 R925x
This is a basic guide to information available on the Internet.

U.S. Government on the Web

(REF) ZA 5075 .H47 1999

Washington Online: How to Access the Federal Government on the Internet     [1997]

TK 5105 .875 .I57 W37
This provides computer network resources to government information.

Other departments may have online publications list or much data online, such as U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

See also the "UWM Libraries Homepage: Subject Guides: Government Information" for links to sites for government information.

ADDITIONAL AIDS FOR FINDING GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS

Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources

(REF) Z 1223 .Z7 G37x 1993
A style manual which provides comprehensive information on how to cite government publications.

Guide to Popular U.S. Government Publications     [4ed]

RIS Information Desk     (REF) Z 1223 .Z7 B35 1997
A selective annotated listing of popular, well-known, or important government documents. Included are documents on such subjects as aeronautics, alcohol and drug abuse, careers, energy, food, forestry, health and medical care, maps, national parks, social and ethical issues, veterans, and women.
Guide to U.S. Government Publications
latest/RIS Information Desk     (REF) Z 1223 .Z7 A572
Referred to as "Andriot" after its editor, this guide provides a listing of important series and periodicals issued by government agencies as well as a complete listing of present and retrospective SuDoc numbers. This also provides address and phone numbers of agencies issuing the publications.
How to Use the Major Indexes to U.S. Government Publications
(REF) Z 1223 .Z7 R67 1989

Introduction to United States Government Information Sources     [6ed]

(REF) Z 1223 .M674 1999 and netLibrary

Popular Names of U.S. Government Reports     [4ed]

RIS Information Desk     (REF) Z 1223 .A199 U54 1984
Provides the correct bibliographic citation for government reports known by more popular titles. For example, the correct name of the Warren Commission report is "Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy."
Subject Guide to U.S. Government Reference Sources
(REF) Z 1223 .Z7 R63 1996

Using Government Information Sources, Print and Electronic     [2ed]

RIS Information Desk    (REF) Z 1223 .Z7 S4 1994
This book is an excellent tool for finding lists of sources on specific topics. It also provides various search tips to locate additional sources on a number of topics not covered by this volume.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INQUIRE AT THE RIS INFORMATION DESK

   

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