What Is Government Information?

UCSC is a federal and state depository library, which means that our library provides free public access to government information. This information is created, collected, processed, published and distributed by government agencies. It is an excellent source of primary materials, facts, and well-drafted reports and analyses.

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How Do I Find Government Information?

1.) Search CRUZCAT, the library catalog , for both print and electronic materials : http://cruzcat.ucsc.edu/

a.) Enter your search terms using a "KEYWORD" search . Separate words using AND.

b.) Click the "Modify Search" button

c.) Select Location : McHenry Gov Pubs (4th option from the top.)

d.) Click the "Submit" button.

e.) Open up relevant records. (Note: Links to online information are provided whenever possible.)

f.) If you do not find relevant information, try searching CruzCat without limiting your search to "McHenry Gov Pubs". The library may have resources pertaining to your topic outside the government publications print collection.

*Note on reading the call numbers: Government publications use the SuDoc classification system: http://library.ucsc.edu/gov/resources/SUDOC.pdf . This system groups documents by source (who created it) rather than subject (what is it about.) If you have trouble finding the document in the library, feel free to ask someone at the Reference desk for help!

2.) Use the UCSC Government Publications Website to find links to government publication databases and other resources: http://library.ucsc.edu/library/gov/index.html

This website contains links to major websites and databases, organized by level of government jurisdiction.

3.) Search the Internet for government information:

The UCSC Government Publications page <http://library.ucsc.edu/library/gov/index.html> lists leading government websites, search engines, and databases that are available online. The website also contains a Virtual Reference Shelf <http://library.ucsc.edu/gov/virtref.html>, which is helpful if you want to browse online government information resources by subject.

Helpful online search engines :

•  Google Uncle Sam: http://www.google.com/unclesam

•  FirstGov: http://www.firstgov.gov

•  These search government websites exclusively, limiting to .gov, .mil, .edu, and .org suffixes.

4.) Ask a librarian!!

The Government Publications and Reference Librarians at McHenry are more than happy to help you search through the challenging, yet rewarding process of locating government information.

•  Visit the reference desk during our open hours: http://library.ucsc.edu/info/hrs.html  

•  Ask a Librarian electronically: http://library.ucsc.edu/info/askalibrarian.html. (Please note that this method is best used for quick, "ready reference" questions. In-depth research questions are best served in the library.)

 

Created by Madeline Miller, November 2005