About Government Documents
The University Libraries provide access to numerous other government publications. It is a State of Ohio and European Union depository and a State Data Center affiliate. The library purchases many government publications including Readex non-depository documents, CIS microfiche, and United Nations documents (microcard and microfiche). It also purchases indexes to aid in locating government information.
Access and Copying Services
Ohio State University Libraries' Federal Depository Library Program Use PolicyMany government publications have been integrated into other library collections. Search the OSU Libraries' online catalog, to determine locations and call numbers of these publications. The remaining federal documents are shelved in Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) order in the Government Documents (paper) and Microforms (microfiche, CD-ROM, and DVD) areas of the Ackerman Library. Records for all paper SuDoc publications and other formats received since 1996 are included in the library catalog. European Union publications are cataloged and integrated into other library collections. State of Ohio Documents received since 1998 are shelved in the Government Documents area in Ohio Document Number order. Those received since 2001 and selected older titles are cataloged. Paper and electronic indexes, including the Monthly Catalog of Government Information are available.
Most materials are available in open shelves/cabinets. OSU faculty, staff, students, and Courtesy Card holders may borrow circulating documents. Government web sites may be accessed via public workstations. Reader/printers and photocopiers are available for all formats, including microform and electronic formats. (For information on printing/photocopying, see the Library's FAQ on printing.) Software to run selected CD-ROMs and DVDs has been loaded on workstations in the Ackerman Library Reference Area. Flash and Zip-drives and application software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access are available on those workstations. Many CD-ROMs and DVDs are available for check-out.
Reference staff at all University Libraries Reference Desks will provide basic assistance in locating government information. This includes searching the library catalog and library databases. Patrons needing in-depth assistance may be referred to the Ackerman Library Reference staff or the Government Documents Librarian.
Highlights of Materials received through the Depository Program:
- Laws: Slip Laws, Statutes at Large, U.S. Code
- Regulations: Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations.
- Census publications: Population and Housing, Agriculture, Economic, Governments.
- Supreme Court Decisions
- Federal Agency Publications: Agriculture, Business, Education, Environment, Health, Justice, Labor, Trade, Transportation and more.
- FDLP Basic Collection
Key Indexes:
- American Statistics Index (and related microfiche)
- Census Indexes
- CIS Indexes (and related microfiche)
- Congressional Index
- Guide to U.S. Government Publications
- Guide to U.S. Government Statistics
- Index to International Statistics (and related microfiche)
- LexisNexis Academic
- LexisNexis Congressional (and related microfiche)
- LexisNexis Statistical (and related microfiche)
- Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
- NTIS
- PAIS Database
- Statistical Reference Index (related microfiche)
OSU Libraries Collections with significant government publications holdings:
- Food, Agricultural, and Environment Sciences Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit Administration, National Park Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service Publications.
- Book Depository U.S. Serial Set, selected monographs and periodicals, CD-ROMS, DVDs.
- Sullivant Library: ERIC microfiche, selected reference works, videos, and current periodicals.
- Geology: U.S. and Ohio Geological Survey publications, including topographic maps.
- Government Documents: U.S. and Ohio Documents not selected for inclusion in other collections, including many uncataloged publications. Decennial Census volumes.
- Health Sciences: Selected U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publications.
- Law: Legislative, Regulatory, and Judicial publications. [Note: Law is a Federal Depository Library.]
- Map Room: Topographic maps, CIA maps, and other maps and atlases.
- Ackerman Reference: Current Population Reports, Legislative and Regulatory publications,
- Ackerman Stacks: Selected monographs and periodicals.
- Microforms Microfiche, CD-ROMs, and DVDs.
- Science and Engineering: NASA microfiche, Patent and Trademark Office publications. [Note: SEL is a Patent and Trademark Depository Library.]
Internet Accessible Publications
Federal Government Agencies increasingly are placing their publications on the web. Many of these publications are not distributed to depository libraries in tangible (print) format. The OSU library catalog contains few records for "Internet-only" government publications. The OhioLink catalog contains records for many of the "Internet-only" publications that GPO has cataloged. Additional resources for locating online publications include:- Uncle Sam - Migrating Government Publications - Online serials by SuDoc Number or Title.
- Electronic List of Classes - Online resources by Agency or SuDoc Number.
- Catalog of U.S. Government Publications - Depository publications cataloged since 1994. All formats.
- New Electronic Titles - Online publications that are newly added or are queued for addition to the Catalog.
- Agency web pages, look for a Publications or Library section.
Alphabetical List of Government Documents Web Pages | Resources for Depository Operations
Return to Government Documents Page
Please send any questions and comments to: moeller.63@osu.edu.
Created by: Sherry Engle Moeller. Last Modified: 18 January 2006