Agencies
(What types of information are available?)
Formats and location
(Paper, microfiche, CD-Rom or maps - and where are they?)
Call numbers
(How are they organized?)

Hollins became a Depository library in 1968; however, our documents collection also includes volumes that were issued earlier.

Our library selects and receives approximately 25% of all documents printed by the Government Printing Office. We choose our selections based on the university's curriculum and the needs of the local community.

The collection features primary sources covering a wide variety of topics; materials range from international policy to U.S. history, environmental science to women's studies, art, medicine and more.

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Government Documents Home

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The U.S. Government Documents Portal

The U.S. Government Information Directory

AGENCIES
We receive documents produced by:

• Congress
• Executive Office of the President
• Department of Agriculture
• National Archives
• Commerce Department (& Census)
• Defense Department
• Energy Department
• Education Department
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Health and Human Services Department
• Homeland Security Department
• Interior Department
• Justice Department
• Labor Department
• NASA
• State Department
• Smithsonian Institutions
• Transportation Department
• Treasury Department
• ...many more departments, offices and agencies.

The best place to start a search for government information is our online catalog, or a conversation with one of our librarians. You can also browse the shelves to find the information you need. For tips on doing government research, click here.

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FORMATS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
All formats of our Documents collection are located on the first floor. We receive the following formats: paper, CD-Rom, DVD, microfilm, microfiche, electronic-only and maps.

The online catalog will give you the information you need to find a document under "LOCATION":

HU-Government Docs means your item is located on the Government Documents shelves, across from the Reference books. A few current issues of periodicals are also shelved in the Lewis Reading Room.

HU-Govt CD-ROMs means your item is located in the CD/DVD-rack behind the Reference desk. Most CD-Roms can be checked out; you may also use them in the library. There is a computer workstation specifically for Government Documents on the first floor, toward the far end of the building.

HU-Government Microfilm and HU-Government Microfiche are also on the first floor, in the far corner nearest the visitor parking lot. The area has several cabinets, as well as a film/fiche reader. If you want to make print copies, use the film/fiche machine in the library's ground floor periodicals section. Microfilm and microfiche may only be used in the library.

HU-Government Maps are housed in the map cabinets near the microfilm and microfiche. Click here for our map collection guide. Most maps may be checked out.

Internet means your item is electronic-only. Click on the link provided (right below "Click on the following to") and you should have access. If you receive an error message, please notify the library staff so we may correct the problem.

More than 60% of documents produced by the government today are only available online. An electronic document can be a simple web page, or a completely digitized copy of the paper original. Many government documents and databases are included in our online catalog; if you wish to continue your research using government web sites, try using our Web Resources links.

Once upon a time, most government web pages were difficult to find and use. This is no longer true. Have a look – you’ll be surprised at how much you can find and how easy it is. But remember, not everything is online. If you have trouble finding a particular document, just ask us and we will try to find it for you at another library.

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GOVERNMENT CALL NUMBERS: AN EXPLANATION
Our Government Documents are organized according to the Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) classification system. The main difference between Library of Congress and SuDoc call numbers is that Library of Congress call numbers refer to a subject, whereas SuDoc numbers refer to an issuing agency, i.e. whoever has created the document.* For example, in our documents section all documents produced by the Department of Defense are shelved together.

*This means that if you are doing research on a particular topic, you may have to look in more than one place! For example: history of U.S. military action abroad may be found from the Department of Defense, the State Department, the CIA, the Executive Office of the President and Congress.

The first letter of a SuDoc call number indicates the agency, for example: A for Agriculture Department, D for Defense Department, and X or Y for…Congress. (see a full list) The numbers are different, too: in the SuDoc system the number after the period is not treated like a decimal number as it is in LC – it is treated like a WHOLE number.

Correct LC order [decimal]:
1.305
1.85
1.9

Correct SuDoc order [whole numbers]:
1.9
1.85
1.305

There are several handy charts posted on the government documents shelves; we'll also gladly help you find the document you need.

If you'd like to learn more about SuDoc call numbers and how they work, click here for a tutorial.

SuDoc Classification Letters
A_____Agriculture Department
AE____National Archives
C3____Census Bureau (Commerce Department)
CR____Civil Rights Commission
D_____Defense Department
E_____Energy Department
ED____Education Department
EP____Environmental Protection Agency
FEM___Federal Emergency Management Agency
FR____Federal Reserve
FS____Public Health Services
FT____Federal Trade Commission
GB____Geographic Board
GP____Government Printing
GS____General Services Administration
HE____Health & Human Services Department
HH____Housing & Urban Development
HS____Homeland Security Department
I_____Interior Department
I 19__US Geological Survey (Interior Dept.)
IA____Information Agency
IC____Interstate Commerce Commission
J_____Justice Department
Ju____Judiciary
L_____Labor Department
LC____Library of Congress
LR____Labor Relations Board
N_____Navy
NA____National Research Council
NAS___Hational Aeronautics & Space Administration
NF____National Endowment for the Humanities
NS____National Science Foundation
PE____Peace Corps
PM____Office of Personnel Management
PR____Presidential Reports
PREX__Executive Office of the President
PRVP__Vice Presidential Reports
S_____State Department
SBA___Small Business Administration
SI____Smithsonian Institution
SSA___Social Security Administration
T 22___Interior Revenue Service (Treasury Department)
TD____Department of Transportation
W 45__War Records
W 49__Philippine Islands
X, Y__Congress
Y 4___Congressional Committees
Y 10__Congressional Budget Office

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last updated on:March 12, 2007