Subject Guides: Federal Depository Library Information Guide: Research Basics

Starting Research using Gov. Docs

Starting points for research using Federal Government resources.

The easiest way to access "Government Documents" at Trexler Library is to use our Online Catalog, Encompass Search.

In the process of your research you may naturally find items with alpha-numeric call numbers other than Dewey Decimal numbers. Call numbers beginning with a letter are usually either items from the Federal Depository or they are Special Collections items. Check the nearby "List of Major Classes" to see all of the SuDocs prefixes currently held at Trexler Library.

Once you've found a document in Encompass, look at the Shelving Location in the catalog record to determine where an item is located. If the location says "U.S. Government Publications..." you've found a Gov. Doc! If there's a link on the record, you can access the content directly; if there is no link, then see the following guide on how to locate the document on the shelves!

Help finding items on the shelf using SuDocs numbers
This guide will assist in locating the specific document on the shelves at Trexler Library once you have the call number (SuDocs number)
Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) (1976- present, Online, Free)
The finding tool for legislative, executive, and judicial publications from the late 1800s to present. Includes descriptive information for historical and current publications as well as direct links to the full document, when available. For publications issued prior to 1976, the CGP does not provide comprehensive coverage and the Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications should be consulted.
Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (Print, Free)
Commonly referred to as the Monthly Catalog or MoCat, this publication lists all of the publications produced by the U.S. Government Printing Office from 1895 to 2004. Initially intended to supplement the Documents Catalog, the Monthly Catalog served as the “comprehensive index” provided for in the Printing Act of 1895 after the Documents Catalog was discontinued in 1947. The Monthly Catalog was discontinued with the December 2004 edition
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For publications issued prior to 1976, the online CGP does not provide comprehensive coverage and the Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications should be consulted (see below)

A	Agriculture Dept
C 3	Census Bureau (part of the Commerce Dept)
D	Defense Department
E	Energy Department
ED	Education Department
EP	Environmental Protection Agency
GA	Government Accountability Office
HE	Health and Human Services
HS	Homeland Security
I	Interior Department
J	Justice Department
JU	Judiciary (Federal Courts)
L	Labor Department
NAS	National Aeronautics and Space (NASA)
S	State Department
SI	Smithsonian Institution
X, Y	Congress