Reference Training Materials

This material was used in the graduate Library Media Education program at Western Kentucky University. It is placed here to allow library workers to train themselves in the use of reference materials. Copyright 2001 - 2005 Bryan M. Carson.
All Rights Reserved

Government Documents

Finding Government Information

Government Bookstores (http://bookstore.gpo.gov/index.html)
GPO Government Manual (Reference Desk Government Documents)
Monthly Catalog of Publications (Gov Docs Ref; also available on FirstSearch and Marcive)
MarciveWeb Docs (WKU Internet Resources) Also available on GPO Access as GPO Monthly Catalog
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids (http://bensguide.gpo.gov/)
GPO/Access (http://www.access.gpo.gov/)
Thomas: Legislative Information on the Internet (http://thomas.loc.gov/)
PAIS - Public Affairs Information Service (REF PER/IND Z 7163 .P9 and FirstSearch Faculty/Staff/Graduate Password)
LexisNexis Government Periodicals Universe (WKU Ineternet Resources)
RAND Abstracts (http://www.rand.org/Abstracts/abstracts.html)
StatUSA Internet (http://www.stat-usa.gov/)
CenStats (http://tier2.census.gov/dbappweb.htm)

Major Documents to start with

Statistical Abstract of the United States (Ref Desk Gov Docs)
County and City Data Book (Ref Desk Gov Docs)

Legislative documents

United States Statutes at Large (Law Library)
United States Code Congressional and Administrative News (Law Library) -- Contains text of statutes and legislative history documents/hearings
CIS Index (Lexis-Nexis Congressional Universe)
Lexis-Nexis Congressional Universe (WKU Internet Resources)
CQ Researcher (REF H 35 .E35x)
CQ Weekly Report (REF JK 1 .C15)
Congressional Record (Law Library)

Commercial Services

SIRS Government Reporte Ž (SIRS Knowledge Source) This electronic database brings together a wide range of information published by and about our federal government. The information is presented in seven databases. U.S. Government Documents - the main database - delivers thousands of full-text documents and graphics from agencies, departments and commissions of the U.S. government. The additional almanac databases are valuable tools for researching current and historic government documents; landmark and recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions; information about federal departments, agencies, elected leaders and more.
Lexis-Nexis Congressional Universe
Lexis-Nexis Statistical Universe
Westlaw*
VersusLaw*
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe (WKU Internet Resources)
RIA Checkpoint (Ask at Reference Desk to be logged on)
Shepards Online (WKU Internet Resources)

Online Gov Docs Resources

Topper InfoPortal (TIP) www.wku.edu/Library/tip/govlaw.html
Government Resources (University of Louisville Libraries) http:/library.louisville.edu/government/

Other docuents

National Technical Information Service (NTIS) (http://www.ntis.gov/) These documents cost money!

Bibliographies

Tapping the government grapevine : the user-friendly guide to U.S. government information sources (Government Reference ZA 5055 .U6 R63 1998)
Introduction to United States government information sources (Government Reference ZA 5055 .U6 M67 1999)