Documents Reference

Bibliography at

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/

feder03.xls

Grace York, University of Michigan,

August 2004

How Does Government How Does Government Affect Affect YOUR Life? YOUR Life?

• FamilyFamily• HealthHealth• IncomeIncome• Housing Housing • CommunityCommunity• RecreationRecreation• StudentsStudents• BusinessBusiness

FamilyFamily

• Marriage licenseMarriage license• Birth certificateBirth certificate• Divorce decreeDivorce decree• Child supportChild support• Death certificateDeath certificate• Funeral home Funeral home

regulationsregulations• Estate taxesEstate taxes

HealthHealth

• Vaccines (funding for development and regulations)

• Nutritional guidelines • Bioterrorism intervention• Drug approval• Regulation of nursing homes • Medicare payment schedules

for hospitals

IncomeIncome

• TAXESTAXES• Equal employment Equal employment

opportunity guidelinesopportunity guidelines• Consumer price indexConsumer price index• Civil service salariesCivil service salaries• Mediation in labor disputesMediation in labor disputes• Social security and food Social security and food

stampsstamps

CommunityCommunity

• RoadsRoads• Zoning ordinancesZoning ordinances• Water suppliesWater supplies• Waste disposalWaste disposal• Regulating power and cable Regulating power and cable

industriesindustries• Requires toxic waste cleanupRequires toxic waste cleanup• Weather alertsWeather alerts• Disaster assistanceDisaster assistance

HousingHousing

• Certifies home repair contractors Certifies home repair contractors and prosecutes ripoffsand prosecutes ripoffs

• Building inspectorsBuilding inspectors• Enforces disclosure rules when Enforces disclosure rules when

getting a mortgagegetting a mortgage• Consumer pamphlets on renting, Consumer pamphlets on renting,

buying homes, and moving buying homes, and moving companiescompanies

RecreationRecreation

• National park systemNational park system• PassportsPassports• Airport securityAirport security• Grant funding for the arts and Grant funding for the arts and

humanitieshumanities• GenealogyGenealogy• Fishing and hunting licensesFishing and hunting licenses• State park camping reservationsState park camping reservations

Student WorldStudent World

• Student loansStudent loans• Work study scholarshipsWork study scholarships• College admission court decisionsCollege admission court decisions• Research grants for faculty and Research grants for faculty and

academic departmentsacademic departments• Federal depository librariesFederal depository libraries• Originally sponsored the internetOriginally sponsored the internet• Copyright protectionsCopyright protections

BusinessBusiness

• Regulates stock market Regulates stock market (sometimes)(sometimes)

• Technical researchTechnical research• PatentsPatents• Trade regulations and statisticsTrade regulations and statistics• Employment regulationsEmployment regulations• Safety standardsSafety standards• Loans to start a small businessLoans to start a small business

Document Document FormatsFormats

PaperCD-ROM or DVDDatabaseInternet

Microfiche

A-V Tapes

Photographs

Maps

Types of Types of DocumentsDocuments

1. Laws and 1. Laws and RegulationsRegulations2. Proposed Laws 2. Proposed Laws (Bills)(Bills)3. Legislative 3. Legislative DebatesDebates4. Executive 4. Executive Speeches Speeches and and DirectivesDirectives5. Court Decisions5. Court Decisions

Types of Types of DocumentsDocuments

6. 6. Research/InvestigationsResearch/Investigations 7. Statistics7. Statistics 8. Copyright and 8. Copyright and PatentsPatents 9. Maps9. Maps10. Consumer 10. Consumer InformationInformation

Typical Documents Typical Documents QuestionsQuestions

•Are interlocking corporate directors Are interlocking corporate directors legal?legal?•How many Russians live in Ann Arbor?How many Russians live in Ann Arbor?•Text of the President’s State of the Text of the President’s State of the Union message?Union message?•Copy of the Starr ReportCopy of the Starr Report•Safety of a baby crib at a yard sale?Safety of a baby crib at a yard sale?•Information on environmental Information on environmental warmingwarming•Analysis of Frodo’s character in Lord Analysis of Frodo’s character in Lord of the Rings?of the Rings?

Subjects Covered by Subjects Covered by Documents Documents QuestionsQuestions•Almost all subjectsAlmost all subjects

•ExceptionsExceptions•LiteratureLiterature•Arts (except for funding and Arts (except for funding and museum exhibits)museum exhibits)•Music (except for copyright)Music (except for copyright)

•ERGO, the only question you ERGO, the only question you can safely exclude can safely exclude

Analysis of Frodo’s character in Analysis of Frodo’s character in Lord of the RingsLord of the Rings

Documents Question Clues

•Legal MaterialsLegal Materials•StatisticsStatistics•Government Official or Agency Government Official or Agency Mentioned in QuestionMentioned in Question•Obvious government Obvious government publicationpublication• Expert on the subject is a Expert on the subject is a government employeegovernment employee

Legal Questions

•Laws, regulations, bills, Laws, regulations, bills, rulesrules•Court decisionsCourt decisions•Patent or copyrightPatent or copyright•TaxesTaxes

Statistics

•75% of all statistical questions 75% of all statistical questions start with the governmentstart with the government

•Answers can be in databases Answers can be in databases rather than printed in a tablerather than printed in a table

•Business organizations and Business organizations and associations provide data about associations provide data about their own operationstheir own operations

Government Agency Mentioned

•Congressman Knollenberg,Congressman Knollenberg, President Bush,President Bush, NASA,NASA, Social Social Security Administration, etc.Security Administration, etc. are pretty obvious cluesare pretty obvious clues

Specific Government Document

•Starr ReportStarr Report•Foreign Relations of the Foreign Relations of the United StatesUnited States•Highway StatisticsHighway Statistics•EPA 600/2-89-143EPA 600/2-89-143•PL 97-25PL 97-25

Expert on Subject?

Some are obviousSome are obviousState Dept. for passportsState Dept. for passportsINS for naturalization INS for naturalization Census Bureau for CensusCensus Bureau for Census

Some are unclear, Some are unclear, e.g. baby cribse.g. baby cribsConsumer Reports Consumer Reports

(commercial)(commercial)Consumer Product Safety Consumer Product Safety Commission (government) Commission (government)

Three Information Needs

FactFactInterlocking corporate directorsInterlocking corporate directorsRussians in Ann ArborRussians in Ann Arbor

Specific PublicationSpecific PublicationStarr ReportStarr ReportState of the UnionState of the Union

Subject BackgroundSubject BackgroundBaby crib safetyBaby crib safetyEnvironmental warmingEnvironmental warming

Strategy for Facts

•Standard reference sources forStandard reference sources for •Laws and regulations and court Laws and regulations and court decisionsdecisions•Congressional documentsCongressional documents•Directories of officialsDirectories of officials•Statistics Statistics

Strategy for Known Publications

•Search Google’s UncleSam or Search Google’s UncleSam or FirstGovFirstGov

•Search GPO or NTIS Search GPO or NTIS bibliographies for publications bibliographies for publications not on webnot on web

•Ask a depository librarianAsk a depository librarian

Strategy for Subject Searches

•Search Google’s UncleSam or Search Google’s UncleSam or FirstGovFirstGov•Identify agency and browse by Identify agency and browse by subject on the websubject on the web

•Search GPO or NTIS Search GPO or NTIS bibliographies for publications bibliographies for publications not on webnot on web

Reference Interview

OBJECTIVEOBJECTIVE

Rework original question within the Rework original question within the context of what you know is possible context of what you know is possible

to develop a search strategyto develop a search strategy

Key Reference Interview Questions

•WHO WHO (sponsored a bill, did the research, wrote (sponsored a bill, did the research, wrote report)report)

•WHAT WHAT (bill, report, Russian ancestry or Russian-(bill, report, Russian ancestry or Russian-born)born)

•WHEN WHEN (within past year, every year since 1970, (within past year, every year since 1970, 1/6/03)1/6/03)

•WHEREWHERE (Ann Arbor Area, Ann Arbor City, Iraq, (Ann Arbor Area, Ann Arbor City, Iraq, U.S.)U.S.)

•WHY WHY (writing dissertation, 2-page paper, cut (writing dissertation, 2-page paper, cut budget)budget)

•HOW HOW (filibuster, resigned, lobbied)(filibuster, resigned, lobbied)

WHO - WHAT - WHEN - WHERE are relevant to most

questions

DIRECTORIES

•United States Government Manual United States Government Manual (Docs JK 421 .A3 - (Docs JK 421 .A3 - http://www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/index.html))

•Federal Yellow BookFederal Yellow Book (Docs. JK 6 .F2931, (Docs. JK 6 .F2931, http://ldi.bvdep.com/

•Official Congressional Directory Official Congressional Directory (JK 1011 (JK 1011 - - http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cdirectory/index.html))

•Contacting the CongressContacting the Congress ((http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/)

•Locate a Federal Depository LibraryLocate a Federal Depository Library ((http://www.gpoaccess.gov/libraries.htmlhttp://www.gpoaccess.gov/libraries.html))

STATISTICSGovernment Sources

•Federal Government produces 75% of Federal Government produces 75% of all statisticsall statistics

•Key Statistical AgenciesKey Statistical Agencies•Census BureauCensus Bureau•Bureau of Economic AnalysisBureau of Economic Analysis•Bureau of Labor StatisticsBureau of Labor Statistics•Bureau of Tranportation StatisticsBureau of Tranportation Statistics•National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education Statistics•National Center for Health StatisticsNational Center for Health Statistics

STATISTICSNon-Government Sources

•Non-government organizations Non-government organizations produce about 25%produce about 25%

•Public opinion pollstersPublic opinion pollsters•Academic institutesAcademic institutes•Business organizationsBusiness organizations•Professional associationsProfessional associations•State governmentsState governments

Main Statistical Sources

•Statistical Abstract of the United Statistical Abstract of the United States States (Ref. And Docs. HA 202; (Ref. And Docs. HA 202; http://www.census.gov/statab/www/)/)

•FedStatsFedStats ((http://www.fedstats.gov/)

•Statistical Resources on the Web Statistical Resources on the Web (http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html))

•Statistical UniverseStatistical Universe ((http://web.lexis-nexis.com/statuniv/)/)

Legislative Processhttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/legchart.html

•Bills - Hearings - Reports - Debates - Bills - Hearings - Reports - Debates - Slip Laws Slip Laws

•Session Laws (Statutes at Large) - Session Laws (Statutes at Large) - Codified Laws Codified Laws

•New Regulations (Federal Register) - New Regulations (Federal Register) - Codified RegulationsCodified Regulations

•Supreme Court DecisionsSupreme Court Decisions

Bills

•H.R., HJ Res, H Res, H. Con. Res H.R., HJ Res, H Res, H. Con. Res •S., SJ Res, S. Res, S. Con. ResS., SJ Res, S. Res, S. Con. Res•May be 30 bills on one subjectMay be 30 bills on one subject

•Use Congressional QuarterlyUse Congressional Quarterly (Docs. JK 1 .C12, http://library.cqpress.com/cqweekly/) to identify when possible

•Use Thomas Use Thomas ((http://thomas.loc.gov/) for bill /) for bill summaries, text, status, and roll call votes)summaries, text, status, and roll call votes)

Floor Debates

•Congressional Record and Congressional Record and Predecessors, 1774+ Predecessors, 1774+ (J 11.A - J 11.R)(J 11.A - J 11.R)

•No perfect source for indexingNo perfect source for indexing

•Thomas is best free sourceThomas is best free source (http://thomas.loc.gov/)

Congressional Hearings

•Testimony by experts, lobbyists, Testimony by experts, lobbyists, members of Executive Branch members of Executive Branch

•On bills, oversight, nominations, On bills, oversight, nominations, appropriations, and investigationsappropriations, and investigations

•Prepared statements, question and Prepared statements, question and answer testimony, appendicesanswer testimony, appendices

Congressional Hearing Sources

•Committee web sites and Academic Committee web sites and Academic Universe only have prepared Universe only have prepared testimonytestimony

•Printed hearings the most complete Printed hearings the most complete and indexed inand indexed in

•Catalog of Government Publications Catalog of Government Publications •Congressional Universe Congressional Universe

Congressional Universehttp://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp/

•CIS Index CIS Index (indexes printed hearings by (indexes printed hearings by committee, subject, person testifying, bill) committee, subject, person testifying, bill)

•TestimonyTestimony (selected prepared statements; best (selected prepared statements; best for hearings under six months old) for hearings under six months old)

•Retrospective Retrospective (hearings, prints, reports and (hearings, prints, reports and documents, 1789-1969) documents, 1789-1969)

•LawsLaws (Slip laws, Statutes at Large, United States (Slip laws, Statutes at Large, United States Code)Code)

•Regulations Regulations (Federal Register, 1980+; Code of (Federal Register, 1980+; Code of Federal Regulations)Federal Regulations)

Commercial source - not all libraries Commercial source - not all libraries ownown

Laws and Regulations

LAWS - PASSED BY CONGRESSLAWS - PASSED BY CONGRESS•Slip Laws Slip Laws (in Thomas, (in Thomas, http://thomas.loc.gov/)

•Statutes at Large Statutes at Large (Docs. K .U565 and (Docs. K .U565 and Congressional Universe, Congressional Universe, http://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp/)

•United States CodeUnited States Code (Docs. KF 62 .A2, (Docs. KF 62 .A2, http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/index.html) )

REGULATIONS - EXECUTIVE BRANCHREGULATIONS - EXECUTIVE BRANCH•Federal Register Federal Register (Docs.J 83 .A2, (Docs.J 83 .A2, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.htmlhttp://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html,, http://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp))

•Code of Federal RegulationsCode of Federal Regulations (Docs. JK (Docs. JK 416 .A5, http://cfr.law.cornell.edu/cfr/416 .A5, http://cfr.law.cornell.edu/cfr/

President

•Weekly Compilation of Presidential Weekly Compilation of Presidential DocumentsDocuments ((1965+ as J 80 .A1 W38, 1993+ as 1965+ as J 80 .A1 W38, 1993+ as http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.htmlhttp://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html))

•Public Papers of the Presidents Public Papers of the Presidents (1929+ as J (1929+ as J 80 .A25; 1993+ as 80 .A25; 1993+ as http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/pubpaps/srchpaps.html) )

•White House Web Site - current White House Web Site - current president president ((http://www.whitehouse.gov/)

•Presidential Libraries ( (http://www.archives.gov/presidential_libraries/addresses/addresses.html))

Treaties

•Treaties in ForceTreaties in Force (Docs. JX 236, (Docs. JX 236, http://www.state.gov/s/l/c8455.htmhttp://www.state.gov/s/l/c8455.htm))

•Bilateral Treaties by countryBilateral Treaties by country•Multilateral treaties by subjectMultilateral treaties by subject•Refers to Treaties and International Acts Series Refers to Treaties and International Acts Series (Docs JKX 235.9 .A33), United States Treaties (JX (Docs JKX 235.9 .A33), United States Treaties (JX 231.A3), and UN Treaty Series (JX 170 .U54)231.A3), and UN Treaty Series (JX 170 .U54)

•Look to United Nations and other web Look to United Nations and other web sites for treaties which the U.S. has not sites for treaties which the U.S. has not signedsigned

•Delay in publishing treaties can make Delay in publishing treaties can make them more difficult to findthem more difficult to find

Court Decisions

•Supreme Court rules on Supreme Court rules on constitutionality of federal and state constitutionality of federal and state lawslaws•Constitution of the U.S. AnnotatedConstitution of the U.S. Annotated (Docs. (Docs. JK 14, JK 14, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/browse.htmlhttp://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/browse.html))

•Supreme Court web site, 2000+Supreme Court web site, 2000+((http://www.supremecourtus.gov/) has decisions and oral has decisions and oral argumentsarguments

•Academic UniverseAcademic Universe ( (http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe) has largest number of ) has largest number of district, circuit, and Supreme Court decisions district, circuit, and Supreme Court decisions

Challenges in Verifying Known Titles

•Titles may be distributed to Titles may be distributed to depositories in paper, microfiche, CD, depositories in paper, microfiche, CD, DVD, internetDVD, internet•Not all formats, especially microfiche Not all formats, especially microfiche and pamphlets, may be catalogedand pamphlets, may be cataloged•Monographic series may not be Monographic series may not be analyzed by titleanalyzed by title•Technical reports may be issued by Technical reports may be issued by NTIS rather than GPO, requiring NTIS rather than GPO, requiring individual purchaseindividual purchase

Strategies Verifying Known Titles

•Check your own on-line catalogCheck your own on-line catalog

•Check Catalog of Government Check Catalog of Government Publications Publications ((http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cgp/index.htmlhttp://www.gpoaccess.gov/cgp/index.html, for , for publication, formatpublication, format) ) •Check NTISCheck NTIS ((http://www.ntis.gov, for availability and , for availability and purchase)purchase)

•Check Google’s Uncle SamCheck Google’s Uncle Sam (http://

www.google.com/unclesam)) or or FirstGov FirstGov ((http://www.firstgov.gov/) for on-line availability/) for on-line availability

Subject Searches

•Check Google’s Uncle SamCheck Google’s Uncle Sam (http://

www.google.com/unclesam)) or or FirstGov FirstGov ((http://www.firstgov.gov/) for on-line availability/) for on-line availability

•Check Catalog of Government Check Catalog of Government PublicationsPublications (http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locators/cgp/index.html, for , for publication, formatpublication, format) ) •Browse web sites by agency using Browse web sites by agency using LSU’s guideLSU’s guide ((http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html))