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Government Information

Federal Depository Library

This library is a Congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government Documents. Public access to the Government Documents collection is guaranteed by public law (Title 44 United States Code). Since its establishment in 1813, the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) has collected, organized, and preserved information produced by the government and assisted citizens in finding and using that information.

Accessing Government Information

All digital and most legacy Federal Government Documents (historic paper and microfilm format) can be located by searching the GS Libraries' catalog, GIL-Find, by subject, keyword, title, or other search limiters. You may sort your catalog search by using the "Refine Results" search limiters, e.g. format, date, (library) location, author, organization (agency), subject, etc. Each record will indicate whether the document is held physically (such as historic legacy items) at Henderson Library or available online.

Another helpful GS Libraries' search tool is the Discover search. You can sort your results listing, by date, resource type including primary sources, subject, and even publisher such as superintendent of documents to narrow down to federal resources.  

All Government Documents are available for use by members of the Georgia Southern community as well as the general public, and most legacy materials are available for checkout. Ask the Government Documents Department for details, by emailing John Schlipp at jschlipp@GeorgiaSouthern.edu. The legacy Government Documents are located on the first floor of Henderson Library.

Access to digital government information on the internet is available for Georgia Southern students, faculty, staff, and retirees via the library computers, as well as anywhere internet service is available. Community guests are welcome to use the computers in the library to access government information. Ask at the Checkout Desk for details. Calendar and Hours: https://georgiasouthern.libguides.com/hours/

For research assistance or questions : Ask for assistance via Chat.

Or e-mail Librarian John Schlipp at jschlipp@GeorgiaSouthern.edu

 

Call Numbers and Subjects

Onsite legacy Federal Government Documents are shelved using the Superintendent of Documents classification system, which is a provenance arrangement. This means that rather than a topical arrangement, items are shelved by authoring agency or committee. Call numbers are most commonly referred to as Sudocs under this arrangement. 

The FDLP website provides a guide to understanding the SuDoc classification system. 

SuDoc Classification Chart

Government Information Portals

USA.gov is an interagency initiative administered by the Federal Citizen Information Center, a division of the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies.

  • Congress.gov
    Full-text of Congressional bill, Congressional Record and index, Bill Summaries and Status, Hot Legislation, the Constitution, and other House and Senate resources.

  • Congressional Serial Set

Numbered Senate and House Documents, Senate and House Reports. Contents include House and Senate Journals and reports of executive departments and agencies. .

CRS reports come in many forms, including: reports on major policy issues, tailored, confidential memoranda, seminars and workshops, expert congressional testimony, and responses to individual inquiry.

Official website of the United States Senate.

Official website of the United States House of Representatives.

 

Finding Aids