Government Documents
| By: |
William S. Cramer, Assistant Professor
Government Docs. Coordinator & Special Collections
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Phone: (248)
370-2480
E-mail: wcramer@oakland.edu |
Ask A Librarian
Feel free to call, email, chat, or stop by the reference desk if you have questions. |
DEPOSITORY STATUS
Kresge Library is an official depository for United States government publications. Status as a selective depository for Federal documents was awarded to OU in 1964, so holdings generally reflect this beginning date (i.e., relatively few titles published before 1964 are held).
As a depository for U.S. government documents, Kresge Library receives approximately half of the 7,300 depository "items" (or series) that are made available for selection. OU tailors its selection of depository items to meet the particular needs of the university's curriculum.
LOCATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF DOCUMENTS COLLECTION
The government documents collection is located in the north wing of the 2nd level of Kresge Library. Federal documents are arranged by the Superintendent of Documents (SUDOC) Classification System, which groups publications by the issuing agency, rather than by subject (as is the case with the classification system for books and journals). Although Kresge Library is no longer an offical depository for Michigan documents, a collection is still maintained in the documents area, arranged by Library of Congress classification (like books and journals). They are located on the west side of the north wing, past the Interlibrary Loan office.
Many government documents are received on microfiche instead of in paper format. While the latter are on shelves arranged by SUDOC call number, those on microfiche are similarly arranged in cabinets in the Microforms area that is adjacent to the Government Documents area.
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
The easiest way to determine what U.S. government documents Kresge Library has is to use Voyager, the library’s online catalog system. Documents received by the library since 1976 are included in the online catalog. The library holds many thousands of documents issued before 1976 as well, but these older titles presently can be accessed only by using the printed Monthly Catalog of Government Publications (Docs. GP 3.8:), located in the Government Documents collection. Documents can also be identified by using the online version of the Monthly Catalog, GPO, available on FirstSearch. Access to state of Michigan materials is also through the library's online catalog.
There are many web sites offering access to government information. Some major ones are:
GPO ACCESS
The following databases are available via GPO Access: The Congressional Record, Federal Register, Congressional Bills, Code of Federal Regulations, and United States Code.
THOMAS
The THOMAS legislative site contains bills, public laws, the Congressional Record, various historical documents (Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, etc.) and links to other U.S. government Internet sites.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DOCUMENTS CENTER
A central reference and referral point for local, state, federal, foreign and international government information.
For easy access to these web sites, and many others, go to the Oakland University Government Documents Center website.
ASSISTANCE IN USING DOCUMENTS
The Reference Librarian on duty can give assistance in locating and using government documents. Ask at the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor in the south wing.
CIRCULATION OF GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS
The majority of government documents circulate for the same time period as do books. Those that do not circulate will be marked "non-circulating" and/or will be thus identified in the online catalog.
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