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What is a government document?
How do I cite government documents in APA or MLA format?
Where are government documents
located in Pollak Library?
What subjects are
covered in the Government Documents Collection?
How do I find government
documents on my topic?
Can government documents be
checked out?
How are government
documents arranged on the shelf?
What are some of
the important sources in Government Documents?
Where do government
documents come from?
How do I get more help?
What is a Government Document?
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A government document is
a publication issued by or for a government agency. It looks just like a
book or journal except that the author or publisher is a government
agency--for example, the U.S. Department of Labor.
Government documents
come in all formats: print, online, CD, and microfiche or microfilm.
How do I cite
government documents in APA or MLA format?
DocsCite
Citation generator for APA and MLA format.
DocsCite is a step-by-step guide to putting government publication
citations into proper style format.
Brief Guide to Citing Government Documents
Format and examples for citing Federal Register,
hearings, Statutes at Large, U.S. Reports, online sources, and more.
Where are government
documents located in Pollak Library?
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Most
government documents are located in the Government Documents Section, 3rd
Floor North.
Within the
Government Documents Section, there are 4 separate collections:
<U.S.
<California
<international
<City/County/Regional
These 4 areas are clearly marked on the 3rd Floor.
A small
number of documents are located in the Reference Section.
Examples of government documents that are
shelved in the Reference Section are
U.S. Reports (Supreme Court opinions) and Public Laws.
While viewing the catalog record, check the
LOCATION to find out where a document is shelved. Or ask for
assistance at the Reference Desk or the Government Documents
Desk.
What subjects are in the
Government Documents Collection?
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Government
documents have been published on just about every subject. Pollak Library
collects documents in all subject areas that support the CSUF academic
curriculum. Business statistics, census data, endangered species reports,
cancer research, child abuse, crime, gangs, human cloning, immigration,
teen pregnancy, and youth violence are subjects that are especially well
covered in the Government Documents Collection. Congressional hearings,
public laws, Surgeon General reports, and Supreme Court opinions are
included in the collection.
How do I find government
documents on my topic?
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To find government
documents in Pollak Library:
Search the
Library Catalog by
keyword, title, subject, or author and then,
while viewing the results list, change the default from All Collections
to Government Documents Collections Only.
Note:
Many recent documents that are found in the Library
Catalog include links to full text online. If there is a
link Access on Internet, click on this link to retrieve the
document online.
To find
Census 2000 publications:
See the CSUF Library research guide
Census 2000.
To find
government periodical articles and reports:
If you know the title of the government periodical, go
to
Government Periodicals and select the specific journal.
You can also use
several electronic databases to locate
documents. For example,
Academic Search
Premier
provides full-text access to several U.S. government periodicals including
Alcohol Research & Health, FBI Law Enforcement
Bulletin, and FDA Consumer.
Congressional Universe includes legislative histories, current bill
tracking, Congressional Record, and Federal Register.
To find
the many government publications that are freely available to the
general public on the Internet:
GPO
ACCESS
(Multi-Database
Search) provides full text access to many government documents. Also,
try a search engine that retrieves government documents. Two excellent
search engines are
Google Uncle Sam
at www.google.com/unclesam and
USA.gov at
www.usa.gov.
Ask a librarian to
recommend the best databases for finding documents on your specific topic.
Can government documents be
checked out?
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Many
government documents can be checked out. But, as a general rule, any
document that is mostly statistics or that is issued as a periodical
(monthly or annually) is not allowed to be checked out.
To find out
if a document can be checked out, check the STATUS
on the Library Catalog record.
If the STATUS is
CHECK SHELVES, the document can be
checked out.
If the STATUS is
LIB USE ONLY,
it cannot be checked out.
Or look at the inside back cover: If there is a red stamp
NOT FOR
CIRCULATION near the
barcode, the document cannot be checked out.
Many recent documents are
available online and are readily accessible from your home computer. If a
catalog record shows a link Access on Internet, click on the
link to view the document.
Documents are checked out on the First
Floor at the Self-Checkout machine or at the Circulation
Desk.
How are
government documents arranged on the shelf?
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U.S. and California
documents are shelved by government department. The first letter of the
department that issued the document is the first letter of the call
number. A call number starting with "A" indicates that the document was
issued by the Department of Agriculture.
International documents are shelved by subject. They are
cataloged by LC call numbers, the same call number system used in the
Main Collection.
What are some of
the important sources in Government Documents?
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the
LIBRARY CATALOG
to find out if we own a print copy or have a link to an electronic copy..
Where do
government documents come from?
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U.S.
Documents
Pollak Library is one of 1250 libraries in the
United States designated as a Federal Depository Library. The Federal
Depository Library Program was established by Congress
in 1813 to guarantee the public free access to
government information. The
documents are received free of charge, but Pollak Library must provide
access, storage, equipment, and reference service. Pollak Library
receives about 50% of the documents issued by the federal government.
Selection of documents is based on the needs of the academic curriculum
and the needs of the local community.
Documents are distributed to depository libraries in all formats: print, microfiche, CD-ROM, and
online. Pollak Library staff provide access to depository collections
and assist the public in navigating the Federal information
infrastructure.
California
Documents
Pollak Library is also a participant in the California Depository
Library Program, a similar program at the state level.
City/County/Regional and International Documents
City/County/Regional Documents and International documents are requested
from government agencies.
How
do I get more help?
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For assistance in finding documents, ask at
the Reference Desk or the Government Documents Desk.
If you would like an appointment for a
research consultation, go to
Ask A Librarian
and click on Research Consultations. You will be contacted
shortly by a librarian who can provide you with in-depth assistance in
finding information in government documents.
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