Historical Congressional Publications
CIS Serial Set Index and
Microfiche Collection
USER GUIDE

The CIS US Serial Set Index (Congressional Information Service) and accompanying microfiche library is a collection of congressional publications, 1789 to 1969. All publications contained in this set are chosen under the rules of Congress. The Serial Set consists of: Senate reports, House reports, Senate Executive documents, House Executive documents, Senate miscellaneous documents, House miscellaneous documents, and selected non-governmental agency publications. The set does NOT include congressional hearings and debates. The Serial Set Index is divided into twelve volumes (36 books), each covering a range of years. The print index is located in the reference collection (1st Floor, West Wing), (REF) Z 1223 .Z9 C65 1975. The Index and Carto-bibliography of Maps, 1789-1969 (vols.14-16) is available in the American Geographical Society Library, (AGSL-REF) Z 1223 .Z9 C65 1975. The full-text of all publications listed in these indexes is available in microfiche format located in Microforms (Lower Level, West Wing), (MC) J 04; selected volumes are available in print, J 66 .U5x. A basic history of the Serial Set may be found at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/history/sset/. Documents since 1970 may be located using the CIS Index [(REF) KF 49 .C4x], and are located full-text in Microforms, (MC) KF 01.

HOW TO IDENTIFY SERIAL SET PUBLICATIONS:

Each Serial Set publication is assigned an alpha-numeric identification number. These identifiers are composed of an agency/chamber designation, a report or document number, and a serial set volume number. Below is an example of how an identification number is arranged:

H.rp288(44-2)1823
Chamber (House or Senate)
(document type)		(pub #)(Congress, session)(serial set volume number)

HOW TO LOCATE SERIAL SET PUBLICATIONS:

The Serial Set Index lists all entries alphabetically by subject terms and names; an entry may give cross references to related terms. For example, if a congressional report on the Confederate States of America during the Civil War is needed, use the Serial Set Index volume for the particular range of years, i.e., �1857-1879,� and locate a subject term, i.e., �Confederacy,� in the index. The following example shows how an entry in the Serial Set Index is arranged:

Confederacy(Subject)
See also Amnesty
See also Blockade�(etc.)
(Cross-references to related or narrower terms)
Condition of states which formed so-called
    Confederate States of America
(Title of report)
S.rp 112 (39-1) 1240
(Serial Set Identification Number)

The Serial Set Index also indexes personal and corporate names. For example, if a document about Robert E. Lee during the Civil War is needed, use the Serial Set Index volume for the particular year, i.e., �1857-1879,� and locate the name, i.e., �Lee, Robert E.,� in the index. The entry under this name will look like this:

Lee, Robert E.(Name)
See also White House, Virginia
(Cross-references to related or narrower terms)
Losses from Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania
(Title of report)
H.rp 578 (44-1) 1710
(Serial Set Identification Number)

IF THE CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENT OR REPORT NUMBER IS ALREADY KNOWN:

In addition to the subject and name index for each congress, there is a separate volume called Finding List. The Finding List entries are arranged numerically by the Congress and session. The documents listed under each Congressial session are in the sequence: Senate reports, House reports, Senate Executive documents, House Executive documents, Senate miscellaneous documents, and House miscellaneous documents. The non-governmental agency publications can be found after House miscellaneous documents in the finding list.

A sample entry is:

39th Congress, 1st Session
Dec. 4, 1865-July 28, 1866
Senate Reports

No. Vol.Serial
1.Petition of James Todd, administrator of Joshua D. Todd11240
2.Petition of John Nabb and Sarah Nabb11240
3.Petition of J.B. Rittenhouse11240

The Serial Set identification number for the first document in the example above would be S.rp 1 (39-1) 1240.

HOW TO RETRIEVE FULL-TEXT DOCUMENTS:

Once the Serial Set identification number has been located in the Serial Set Index, find the full-text document on microfiche in the Microforms area (Lower Level, West Wing). Use the Serial Set microfiche library call number, (MC) J 04, and the Serial Set identification number.

HISTORICAL CONGRESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS ON THE INTERNET:

Century of Lawmaking For a New Nation (U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates 1774-1873)

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html

The Library of Congress has compiled historical publications of Congress from the Continental Congress thru 1873. These documents help members of Congress and people across the country understand the rich governmental history of how the United States of America has evolved from the day independence was achieved. Members of Congress use these historical documents in their decision making process.

Thomas: Historical Documents

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdoxmainpg.html

In addition to providing access to current congressional documents, Thomas includes a historical document database that allows users to search for historical primary documents published by the American government. Users can search for early congressional documents within several databases: included are the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the U.S. Constitution (including the Bill of Rights and Amendments).

Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties

http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/

The Oklahoma State University Library Kappler Project provides digitized access to the full-text primary documents that contain valuable information on Native American relations with the United States government throughout history. These historical documents include laws passed by the United States government and treaties signed by Native American tribes and the American government. Examples of documents within this collection include: indian reservations, settlement of indian lands, government funding, trade, etc.

CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS AND DEBATES NOT INCLUDED IN THE SERIAL SET:

The CIS US Serial Set Index and microfiche library do not include congressional hearings and debates. Hearings and debates may be located through the following sources:

Hearings
The UWM Libraries does not have a large collection of pre-1969 congressional hearings. Finding aids to locate hearing titles and numbers are available in the reference collection. If, after searching PantherCat, the hearing is unavailable at the UWM Libraries, it may be obtained at the Milwaukee Public Library-Central location or through Interlibrary Loan.

Index of congressional committee hearings (not confidential in character): prior to January 3, 1935
(REF) KF 40 .H34 1971

Supplement to the index of congressional committee hearings prior to January 3, 1935; consisting of hearings not cataloged by the U.S. Senate Library
(REF) KF 40 .H34 1971 Suppl.

Cumulative index of congressional committee hearings (not confidential in character), 1935-1980
(REF) KF 40 .H8 & Suppl.

Debates
Historical debates and proceedings from the floor of the Congress may be found at the UWM Libraries.

Debates and proceedings in the Congress of the United States, 1789/91-1824
Compact Shelving: WEST (Lower Level, West) J 11 .A5

Register of debates in Congress; comprising the leading debates and incidents of the Congress, 1825-1837
Compact Shelving: WEST (Lower Level, West) J 11 .D5

Congressional Globe, 1833-1873
Compact Shelving: WEST (Lower Level, West) J 11 .G5

Congressional record: proceedings and debates of the ... Congress
1873-1899, Microforms - Microfilm (Lower Level, West) (MF) J 05
1873-1980, Compact Shelving: WEST (Lower Level, West) J 11 .R5

DETAILED GUIDE TO USING THE SERIAL SET INDEX:

The User Handbook to the CIS US Serial Set Index is available in the reference collection, (REF) Z 1223 .Z9 C65 1975 GUIDE. The handbook provides detailed information and graphics concerning the CIS collection of US Serial Set documents.

11/04/02 mod 9/8/05

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