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Southern Methodist University
Central University Libraries
Government Information And Map Resources Department
Getting Started With Government Documents
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Tools for Identifying and Locating Government Documents : Electronic Databases And Other Finding Aids
Electronic databases and other finding aids, often freely available online, are very useful for those performing research involving very current government information
- Local Tools
PONI : http://poni.smu.edu
SMU Online Resources : http://www.smu.edu/cul/or/
Provides subject-oriented access to web-accessible information resources -- "Government Information" entries provide links to agency websites that typically offer information pertinent to the discipline in question
Government Information and Map Resources Department website : http://www.smu.edu/cul/gir/
Departmental web pages -- features subject guides with many links to online resources
- Firstgov : http://www.firstgov.gov/
"The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal" -- intended to provide access to government services to individual citizens, corporate entities, and government employees -- Yahoo!-type interface also includes state information
- GPOAccess : http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
A large suite of databases and other tools -- includes electronic versions of the Monthly Catalog (the Catalog of U. S. Government Publications, or CGP, 1994 - present), the Subject Bibliographies, a list of "New Electronic Titles", and searchable editions of such key resources as the United States Code [USC], the Code of Federal Regulations [CFR], the Congressional Record (1994 - present), and U. S. Supreme Court decisions, 1937 – 1975 and 1992 – present -- extremely useful "one-stop shop" site
- Thomas : http://thomas.loc.gov/
Legislative database offered by the Library of Congress -- features bill tracking information (including floor votes), full text of bills and laws, cross-references to Congressional Record entries, and cross-references to supporting documentation (Congressional reports) -- most useful for those performing legislative history research -- contains information dating back to 1973 (the 93rd Congress)
