Start by searching EUCLID, the library catalog. But be aware that many of our print and microfiche government documents are not yet cataloged in EUCLID.

Below are additional tools to identify government publications. If you need assistance in searching, please don't hesitate to ask for help.
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Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (covers publications from 1976 to present)

• The basic list of government publications.
• Search tip – After searching and getting some results, look at the full record to see if the item was a depository item. If there is an “Item Number” field in the record, it was a depository item and we should have it either in print OR in the documents microfiche collection.

  In print, this catalog is called:

  The Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (1941 to date)
  Reference Z1223 .A18 (Level 2)

• A checkmark in titles through 1995 indicates that the library has that checked item in paper.
• All depository titles (identified in the Catalog by a large black dot and an item number) from 1980 to date are available in the documents microfiche collection on Level 1. Depository titles from 1956 to 1980 are available in documents microprint on Level 1.

  Cumulative indexes of the Monthly Catalog exist for the following periods: 1941-1950, 1951-1960, 1961-1965, 1966-1970, and 1971-1976. A cumulative title index from 1789-1976 can be found under the call number Reference Desk KF40 .C62 1979. Subject indexes to the Monthly Catalog are also available for the years 1895-1899 [Reference Z1223 .A1847 Volumes 1 & 2], and 1900-1971 [Reference Z1223 .A185 Volumes 1-15].

Catalogue of the Public Documents of the (53rd-76th) Congress and of All Departments of the Government of the United States. 1940. 25 vols. Document Catalogue, 1893-1940
Reference Z1223 .A13 (Level 2)

• A dictionary catalog listing publications by agency, subject, title, and author.
• Provides the best subject approach to government publications from 1893-1940.

  NOTE: This index does not give the classification numbers necessary for finding the material in the Woodruff Library. To find publications listed in this index, you will need to consult either the Checklist of U.S. Government Publications, 1789-1909 (Reference Desk GP 3.2:C 41/2/953/V.1), OR with staff at the Reference Desk.

Guide to United States Government Publications
Reference Desk Z1223 .Z7 A5459 [Date]

• An annotated guide to the important series, periodicals and reference tools published by U.S. government agencies (including Congress).
• Also provides a historical record of agencies, their publications and the Superintendent of Documents call numbers assigned.
• Especially useful for tracking publications over time.

Descriptive Catalogue of the Government Publications of the U.S., 1774-1881
Reference Desk Y 1.1/2:SERIAL 2268

• Provides a chronological list which gives the title, author and date of each document.
• The subject and name index at the end of the volume refers the user to the page on which the document is listed. The page must then be browsed to locate the entry or entries.

  NOTE: This index does not give the classification numbers necessary for finding the material in the Woodruff Library. To find publications listed in this index, you will need to consult either the Checklist of U.S. Government Publications, 1789-1909 (Reference Desk GP 3.2:C 41/2/953/V.1), OR with staff at the Reference Desk.

Comprehensive Index to the Publications of the U.S. Government, 1881-1893
Reference Desk Y 1.1/2:SERIAL 4745
Reference Desk Y 1.1/2:SERIAL 4746

• Arranged alphabetically by subject.
• There is a personal author index as well.

  NOTE: This index does not give the classification numbers necessary for finding the material in the Woodruff Library. To find publications listed in this index, you will need to consult either the Checklist of U.S. Government Publications, 1789-1909 (Reference Desk GP 3.2:C 41/2/953/V.1), OR with staff at the Reference Desk.

Cumulative Title Index to United States Public Documents, 1789-1976 (16 volumes)
Reference Desk KF40 .C62

• An alphabetical listing of titles of book and series publications contained in the Public Documents Library of the Government Printing Office.
• Includes only those titles which have been assigned a SuDoc number, thus excluding the numbered reports and documents of Congress from the Serial Set.

Checklist of U.S. Government Publications, 1789-1909 (aka 1909 Checklist)
Reference Desk GP 3.2:C 41/2/953/V.1

• The basic source for SuDoc numbers prior to the 20th century.
• No subject indexing but useful for browsing the publishing output of government agencies and for identifying various editions of the same document.
• An agency index appears at the end of the volume.
• There are checkmarks next to items held in the Woodruff Library.

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800
Microfiche 1367

• Contains U.S. documents and other materials published in the United States before 1800.
• Indexed in the library catalog, EUCLID.

Early American Imprints, 1801-1819
Microfiche 1376

• Continuation of the Early American Imprints listed above.

CIS Index to U.S. Executive Branch Documents, 1789-1909: Guide to Documents Listed in Checklist of U.S. Public Documents, 1789-1909, Not Printed in the U.S. Serial Set
Reference KF40 .C56 1990

• A complete annotated bibliography of all Executive Branch documents listed in the 1909 Checklist, including annual reports, general publications, bulletins, instructions, rules and decisions, circulars and catalogs.
• Indexed by subjects, names, agency report numbers, and SuDoc numbers.

CIS index to U.S. executive branch documents, 1910-1932: guide to documents not printed in the U.S. serial set
Reference KF40 .C56 1996

• Covers the full spectrum of materials issued by the bureaus and offices of the Federal executive departments and independent agencies in existence during the period 1910-1932.

CIS/Index to Publications of the United States Congress (1970 to present)
Reference KF49 .C62
Available through LexisNexis Congressional

See a demo search of LexisNexis Congressional.

• Abstracts and indexes congressional hearings, committee prints and public laws as well as the numbered House and Senate reports and documents contained in the Serial Set.
• Most of the documents listed can be obtained on Level 1 in the government documents print or microfiche collections.
• Some of the documents may be found in the Microfiche 504 collection.

U.S. Serial Set Index, 1789-1969
Reference KF40 .C59
Also available through LexisNexis Congressional

See a demo search of LexisNexis Congressional.

• An index to the basic publications of Congress (i.e., the reports and documents of the House or Senate), known as the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, as well as the maps printed in these volumes.
• The collection is particularly important for the 18th and 19th centuries when most government publications were either originally published as part of the Serial Set or were reprinted in it. Provides access primarily by subject to the over 14,000 volumes which appeared from 1789 to 1969. The 13th Part is a 4-volume index of legislative reports by reported bill and resolution numbers from 1817-1969 (15th - 91st Congresses).
  
• NOTE: We have MANY of the the Serial Set volumes from 1789 to the present in the government documents collection on Level 1. We also have the Serial Set from 1789 to 1934 (which includes the American State Papers -- 1st through 14th Congresses) on Microfiche 1475. And we have electronic access to the Serial Set.

CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings Index, 1833-1969
Reference KF40 .C53
Also available through LexisNexis Congressional

See a demo search of LexisNexis Congressional.

• Provides access to hearings from 1833 through 1969.
• Woodruff Library holds almost all listed hearings in either paper or microfiche, including a number of microfiche collections covering listed hearings through the 75th Congress (Microfiche 271, 272, 273, 274 and 698).
• Hearings issued after 1969 are indexed in the CIS Index.

CIS Index to Unpublished U.S. House of Representatives Committee Hearings, 1833-1968
Reference KF40 .C54
Also available through LexisNexis Congressional

See a demo search of LexisNexis Congressional.

• Covers House Committee hearings transcripts dated 1833 through 1968 that were never printed and published. It provides index access to the subject matter and issues covered in these hearings, including bills and laws discussed, the Federal agencies concerned, the witnesses who testified and the organizations they represented.
• Microfiche 1165 on Level 1 contains a full-text copy of each hearing indexed.

CIS Index to Unpublished U.S. Senate Committee Hearings, 18th-88th Congress, 1823-1964
Reference KF40 .C55
Also available through LexisNexis Congressional

See a demo search of LexisNexis Congressional.

• Covers some Senate Committee hearings transcripts dated 1824 through 1964 (the 18th through the 88th Congresses) that were never printed and published. It provides index access to the subject matter and issues covered in these hearings, including bills and laws discussed, the Federal agencies concerned, the witnesses who testified and the organizations they represented.
• There are also indexes for unpublished Senate Committee hearings for the years 1965-1968 (Reference KF40 .C55 1989 ), and 1969-1972 (Reference KF40 .C55 1995). Microfiche 1164 on Level 1 contains a full-text copy of each hearing indexed.

U.S. Congressional Committee Prints Index from the Earliest Publication through 1969
Reference KF40 .C58
Also available through LexisNexis Congressional

See a demo search of LexisNexis Congressional.

• Committee prints contain research sponsored by congressional committees. Prints may be detailed studies of individual bills, or wide-ranging background studies of important public issues. The U.S. Congressional Committee Prints Index covers these publications by subject, name, title, committee, bill number and SuDoc number.
• Woodruff Library has all documents contained in the Prints Index in either paper or microfiche, and all of the prints are available on the companion microfiche collection, Microfiche 493 on Level 1.
• Committee prints published after 1969 are indexed in the CIS Index.

CIS Index to U.S. Senate Executive Documents and Reports, not printed in the Serial Set, 1817-1969
Reference KF40 .C57 1987
Also available through LexisNexis Congressional

See a demo search of LexisNexis Congressional.

• Senate Executive Documents and Reports trace the Senate's exercise of its role in the making of treaties and nominations.
• Microfiche 1118 on Level 1 contains a full-text copy of the indexed documents.

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