Government Information Resources
Chelsea Dinsmore, International Documents Librarian, Joe Aufmuth, GIS Librarian
Outline
• Overview of UF’s Government Documents
Department
• Federal Government Information Resources
• International Documents Resources
UF Documents Department
The United States Government operates on the established principle
of the citizens’ right to know about its activities.
The Government Printing Office (or GPO) exists to distribute
government information to the public and does so through the
Federal Depository Library program that includes 1,250 libraries.
UF is a Regional Federal Depository Library and, provides access to all
documents published through the GPO, as well as UF purchased
databases.
The Documents Department is also a European Union Depository
Library and also has international documents such as the British
Parliamentary Papers and United Nations Documents.
UF Documents Website
The Documents Department website contains hundreds of pathfinders to
government information sources:
www.uflib.ufl.edu/docs/
The Documents site is an excellent starting point for any research into local,
state, federal, or international government.
Federal Government
The U.S. Government is the world's largest publisher producing information
on practically every subject.
Here’s a look at the three branches:
Executive (Federal agencies: regulations)
Legislative (Congress: Committees, Bills, Hearings, Reports)
Judicial (Federal Courts, U.S. Supreme Court)
**Not all documents produced by the US government are distributed
through the GPO program.
Links to Federal Resources
• www.uflib.ufl.edu/docs/
• Quick Reference (Supreme Court)
http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/docs/qreference.html
• Databases (gpo.gov/Fdsys, USA.gov, Lexis Nexis
Academic)
http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/docs/govdb.html
• Federal Government
http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/docs/fedinfo.html
• Library Catalogue www.uflib.ufl.edu/
(limit search by location to “UF SCIENCE LIBRARY, Documents”, or by format, Author, topic, etc…)
Hearings, Bills, And Laws
• ProQuest Congressional (UF Only Access)
www.uflib.ufl.edu (Find: ProQuest Congressional)
Serial Set = Hearings (Titles in UF Catalogue, Paper Collection)
• Library Of Congress Thomas
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php
• HeinOnline
http://www.heinonline.org/HOL/Welcome
Agencies
• USA.GOV
www.usa.gov
• Library Of Congress Thomas
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php
• HeinOnline
http://www.heinonline.org/HOL/Welcome
Statistical Information
• ProQuest Statistical Datasets (UF Only)
http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/ (Databases Tab: ProQuest Statistical)
• US Census Bureau: AmericanFactFinder
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml
Additional Links
• http://www.nclaonline.org/governmentresources/help-im-accidental-governmentinformation-librarian-webinars
• http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentalj
ustice/resources/index.html
• http://wiu.libguides.com/content.php?pid=43194
9&sid=3536870
An Example Search
Mapping a Patron’s Question:
In which Florida Counties do Individuals Born in
Cuba Live?
American Community Survey Guidance
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/guidance_main
Which one to use
What areas are covered
Census Geography Review
1yr, 65,000+, Current
3yrs, 20,000+
5yrs, All Areas, Most Precise
Alternative Database
ProQuest Datasets, Cuban Ancestry
International Documents Resources
International Documents are:
The documentation about and the information produced by
IGOs – Inter-Governmental Organizations
NGOs – Non-Governmental Organizations
International Documents are not:
The government publications of other countries. Those are referred to as
Foreign Government Documents
Some resources are available at
http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/docs/foreign/index.html
International Documents Resources
European Union Libguide at http://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/euguide
United Nations Homepage: http://www.un.org/en/index.shtml
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
(Additional access for UF community) : http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/
Government Information Resources
Chelsea Dinsmore, International Documents Librarian, Joe Aufmuth, GIS Librarian
Located on the ground floor of Marston Science Library
next to the Map Library
(352) 273-0367
Or visit: Monday – Friday 9:00-4:00
This slide show is available at: www.uflib.ufl.edu/docs/govdocs.pptx