Legislative and Legal Resources

Online Sources

• LexisNexis Congressional
  Covers 1970 to the present.  Provides full-text bills and public laws, as well as legislative histories.
  
• Thomas
  Provides access to full-text Congressional publications.
  
• GPO Access Database List
  Provides links to the U.S. government's most important online publications.

Print Sources

• CIS U.S. Serial Set Index. 1789-1969.
  015.73C759 (DOC)
  Indexes the 14,000 volumes-and more than 325,000 individual documents--of the U.S. Serial Set.  Each volume of the Serial Set consists of publications that the House and Senate have had printed for their use and distribution.  Volumes 2,817 to 13,914 can be found on Deck 1 East of the Main Stacks in print format. All other volumes are available on microfiche in the Government Documents Library.
  
• CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings Index. 1833-1969.
  015.73C497 (DOC)
  Indexes the text of committee hearings, most of which contain valuable expert testimony.  Includes a Personal Name index and an Index by Subjects and Organizations. The Reference Bibliography gives complete bibliographical data--as well as the page number where each witness's testimony begins--for each hearing. Search the online catalog for the call number and location of each title that appears in the Reference Bibliography. 
  
• CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Prints Index: From the Earliest Publications through 1969. 
  015.73C762c (DOC).
  Covers the monographic studies, analyses of bills, confidential staff reports, reference works, and hearings excerpts produced by congressional committee staff. 
  
• Congress and the Nation: A Review of Government and Politics.
  320.973C76 (DOC)
  Covers Congressional activity for the years 1945 to 1992.
  
• Congressional Quarterly Almanac, v. 4, 1948-. 
  328.7305COQ (DOC) 
  No source provides a better overview of Congressional activity in various spheres during a given year.
  
• Congressional Record. 1873-. 
  1873-1975 Q.328.731Un34 (Main Stacks)
  A daily account of Congressional proceedings. Includes its own cumulated indexes for each year. Members of Congress are allowed to edit their remarks before publication. 
  
• Congressional Research Service Index. 1916-.
  CDROM015.73C749 (DOC Computer Workstation #6)
  This CD-ROM provides access to Major Studies and Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service, a microform set that includes documents on nearly all topics of interest to Congress from 1914-15 to the present. The microfilm set for 1914-15 to 1990 can be found under the call number FILM328.37M282 in the STX.

• Legislative Actions and Publications Library Resource Guide
  This manual leads users to information on Congressional activities and to the complete gamut of publications generated during the legislative process.
  
• Legislation and Regulation
  Designed for UIUC users, this guide facilitates access to legislative and regulatory information through Congressional Mega-Sites, Thomas, LexisNexis Congressional, and GPO Access.
  
• The Legislative Process:  Tying It All Together  
  This brief guide written by House Information Resources outlines the legislative process of the U.S. government.

General Historical Government Information Resources

Print Sources

• Cumulative Subject Index to the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, 1900-1971.  15 v.  Washington & Inverness:  Carrollton Press, 1973.
  015.73Un35index1900-1971 (DOC) 
  
• Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, 1895-.
  Washington, DC:  USGPO.
  015.73Un35  (DOC)
  DOC.GP3.8/8:  (DOC)
  The main bibliographic tool for US government documents.  Often called MOCAT.  In its e-format, it is entitled the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

US Census and Other Data Resources

Online Sources

LexisNexis Statistical  For UIUC users only.
This database indexes and abstracts statistical tables issued by commercial publishers, state governments, the U.S. government, and international organizations.  Selected tables published by the U.S. government and included in the LexisNexis Statistical component known as the American Statistics Index/ASI are available online.

Print Sources

More about Libraries and Library Tools

UIUC Library Gateway

• Illinet Online
  The UIUC Library's major access tool to its cataloged collections.  (Remember some library resources are uncataloged.  Always ask for help when needed.)
• Article Databases
  These general interest and subject databases provide access to periodical articles, government documents, technical and scientific reports, etc.

Center for Research Libraries

The UIUC Library is a member of the CRL consortium, which makes scholarly materials, such as archival manuscripts, foreign dissertations, and newspaper backfiles available for free to researchers.  The CRL Handbook describes the collections, and the Center's online catalog is accessible via the web.  For help with these access tools, contact a Government Documents librarian.  CRL collections can be used on site in Chicago or obtained via interlibrary loan.  For more information on borrowing inquire at the UIUC Library's Illinois Reference & Research Center's Borrowing Office.

CICVEL

 This is a relatively new service where patrons may search and order directly from the CIC (Big Ten Universities) library catalogs. Delivery from CIC libraries is expedited with 48-72 hour courier delivery. With processing time added, this means that many loans from CIC libraries may be available in 7 working days. 

National Archives and Records Centers/Great Lakes Region (Chicago)

Archival holdings from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.  Records center holdings from Federal agencies in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and from Federal courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.  Microfilm holdings.

Ask a Librarian

The Government Documents Library's virtual reference and research service.  Staff will try to respond to your query within 2 working days.

Reference and research assistance is available in the Government Documents Library Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.  Stop by or call 244-6445 during business hours.

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UIUC Government Documents Library University of Illinois Libraries University of Illinois
Please direct all comments or inquiries to the Government Documents Library.
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/doc/classes/hist298b.html
 Created by David Griffiths
5 September 2002