Government Documents Collection
U.S. Documents
This collection consists of paper, microfiche, and CD-ROM copies of federal
publications. Publications from the executive, judicial, and legislative branches
of government are available in this collection. Most of this collection dates
from 1963 to the present. For earlier material, see the section on Historical
Research using government documents.
U.S. Government Printing Office: disseminates official information from all three branches of the Federal Government.
On the Web
Many federal government publications that formerly
appeared in print are now appearing on the Web in full text. Uncle
Sam Migrating Government Publications is a site at the University of Memphis
that tries to keep track of these documents. There are many ways to get to Web
based government information. For some of the major links, see Government
Information Online.
Government Printing Office (GPO)
The GPO is the federal
agency that publishes most government documents. It also sells material to the
public through its US Government
Online Bookstore and announces new electronic documents in New
Electronic Titles available on GPO Access.
Indexes to US Documents
To locate government documents on
the library shelves, a Superintendent of Documents number, or SuDocs, call number
is needed, which differs from call numbers used in the rest of the library. (In
FirstSearch it is called a GPO No. or GovDoc number.) When you find the number,
write it down in its entirety, with all the punctuation.
Note: Before 1976, material in federal documents was indexed
only in print indexes, the most important one being the Monthly Catalog of United
States Government Publications (Z1223 .A18 Documents, Ref).
From 1976 forward the material in the federal documents collection is also
indexed in:
- The GPO
Monthly Catalog, a FirstSearch database available off campus only to the
WMU community, but available to everyone in the library.
- The MARCIVE GPO CAT/PAC index (CD-ROM Z-4, Documents, Ref).
From 1994 the material in the federal documents collection is also indexed
in the Catalog of United
States Government Publications. This index includes links to the full text
of many publications.
Department of Energy Documents on Microfiche
From 1984 to 1995 the Department of Energy (DOE) supplied Waldo Library with microfiche
copies of most research reports produced through contract with the agency. These
materials were indexed in Energy Research Abstracts (TJ 163.2 .U544b). The microfiche
collection is located in the microforms area on the second floor of Waldo Library.
Since 1995 these research reports have been available in full text on the web
via the DOE Information Bridge.
Map Collection
In 1969 the library became a depository for
United States Geological Survey maps. For more information, see the University
Libraries' Map Collection.
State & Local Documents
The Libraries' online catalog : use it to find Michigan documents,
archival material, maps, and other government documents.
Michigan Documents
State of Michigan depository material
is housed on the second floor of Waldo Library. Finding aids are available. Please
consult staff in the Documents Department to access this material. Some state
publications are located in the general collections of the library and can be
found in the Libraries' online catalog.
Local Documents
The Archives
and Regional History Collections is designated by the Michigan
Historical Commission as a State Archives repository for the public records of twelve counties
in southwest Michigan. These are accessible through finding aids located at the
Archives.
Statistical Reference Index (SRI)
Many statistical publications
from all 50 states are available in the Statistical Reference Index microfiche
collection. To search the collection, use the print index or Statistical
Universe. The microfiche are located in cabinets labeled SRI, and the print
index is located on Index shelves in the Reference Department on the first floor
of Waldo Library.
United Nations & International Documents
United Nations Documents
The library subscribed to microprint
copies of United Nations documents from 1946 through 1981 (1st through 36th session).
Finding aids are available in the Government Documents area. Readers are available
in the microforms area on second floor. It is NOT possible to make paper copies
from these. The Library subscribes to a number of United Nations publications
which can be found through Libraries'
online catalog by
entering "United Nations" as the author. Human Rights Today and other
publications are available in the United
Nations Online Publications.
International Organizations
The library subscribes to a
number of publications from international organizations that can be found through Libraries'
online catalog using
the name of the organization.
Index to International Statistics (IIS)
Many statistical
publications from the United Nations and its agencies as well as other international
organizations are available in the Index to International Statistics microfiche
collection. To search the collection, use the print index or Statistical
Universe. The microfiche are located in cabinets labeled IIS, and the print
index is located on Index shelves in the Reference Department on the first floor
of Waldo Library. (Z 7552 .I53 (Ref)
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