U.S. GOVERNMENT
DOCUMENTS
GENERAL
INFORMATION
WHAT ARE U.S. GOVERNMENT
DOCUMENTS?
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U.S. government publications, or documents as they are often called, are
publications authorized and paid for by the United States Government.
WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
Documents cover all subjects, ranging from pamphlets on teenage drinking
to multi-volume sets about foreign relations. The collection reflects life
in our nation and the world.
SCOPE OF THE ALBION COLLEGE
COLLECTION
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Albion College became a selective depository library for U.S. Government
documents in 1966, and presently receives 25 percent of the available material.
We receive most congressional , presidential and geological survey and census publications,
as well as a wide range of publications from other agencies.
Most documents are kept together as a special collection.
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Documents published in paper are shelved on Stockwell Tier 3.
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Documents on microfiche (MF) are stored behind the Periodicals Desk in
Stockwell.
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Most government CDs are shelved next to the Government Documents CD-ROM
workstation on the main floor of Stockwell Library.
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The Library Home Page includes a section about
government publications. Click on "Government Documents" for access to
web sites from the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.
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A few documents, such as Statutes at Large, have been incorporated into
the general book collection and some government periodicals are part of the periodicals collection. These can be located through the On-line
Catalog.
- GPO Access provides indexing and links to many full text Federal publications.
WHO CAN USE THE DOCUMENTS
COLLECTION?
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Documents remain federal property and may be used by members of the
general public as well as by persons affiliated with the College. As a
depository library, Albion College has a particular responsibility to provide
information for residents of the Michigan Seventh Congressional District.
HOW DO I LOCATE DOCUMENTS ON MY
TOPIC?
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The Library Online Catalog lists Federal documents received by the Albion
College Library since 1991. This is the best way to locate Federal publications
in our collection. Records for electronic documents are also included in the
Online Catalog.
- GPO Access provides indexing
and links to many full text publications.
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The GPO
Monthly Catalog includes all federal publications made publicly
available since July1976. Publications not in our collection can be ordered through Interlibrary
Loan.
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The Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications indexes federal publications made
publicly available before 1976.
The set is located in the Stockwell Documents Reference area. Again, publications
not available in our collection can be ordered through Interlibrary Loan.
Contact a librarian at the Reference Desk in the Mudd Building, or call extension
0382, or email library@albion.edu.
Most documents circulate to patrons who present a valid Albion College
ID. Non-campus borrowers may consult documents in the library or apply
for a Community Borrower's Card if they wish to check out materials. A special
Federal Documents Depository Borrower's Card is available for patrons who live
outside the Albion community.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A DOCUMENT THAT IS NOT IN THE
ALBION COLLEGE
COLLECTION?
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Yes, anyone affiliated with the College can fill out an interlibrary loan
book request form and turn it in at the Circulation Desk in the Mudd building.
See Interlibrary Loan: How to Get Books and Articles From Other Libraries
brochure for further information. Others should contact the public library
in their community, or the Albion College
Depository librarian.
STOCKWELL-MUDD LIBRARIES
ALBION COLLEGE
ALBION, MICHIGAN 49224
517/629-0270
Spring 2000
Modified 10/29/02