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Main Library - Business, Law, and Government Services Section
Federal Documents
LINKS: [BLG Home Page] [Government Home Page]
[Documents Guide - Census Bureau Publications]
[Documents Guide - Congressional Materials]
[Documents Guide - Federal Government Documents]
[Documents in the News]
"The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established by Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government's information. Since 1813, depository libraries have safeguarded the public's right to know by collecting, organizing, maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the Federal Government."
- From GPO Access, "About the FDLP"
Federal Documents
The Broward County Library has been part of the Federal Depository Library Program since 1967, when the federal documents collection was housed at the Fort Lauderdale Branch Library. In 1984, the federal documents collection was transferred to Broward County Main Library.
The staff members of the Business, Law, and Government (BLG) Services Section are ready to help with your government information needs. Please call 954-357-7439 if you have any questions.
Searching for Federal Government Information
The BLG section is in the final stages of a long-term project to enter the federal documents collection into Broward County Library's online Library Catalog. Many items issued by the federal government can be found here, either as a reference to an item in the print collection or as a direct link to an online copy of the document.
To those unfamiliar with federal government information and organization, finding specific items can be challenging. When searching for information directly from the internet, many of the most commonly requested items can be found at the Government Printing Office web site (www.gpoaccess.gov) or the U.S. Government's official portal, (www.usa.gov).
How is Federal Government Information Organized?
The federal government is divided into three main branches; the Executive, which includes the President and all Cabinet offices and agencies; the Legislative, which includes Congress and its supporting agencies; and the Judicial, which includes the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, District Courts, Bankruptcy courts, and any additional support agencies.
We have put together a list of major links to various government agencies which we hope you will find useful. [Link to Federal Weblinks (detailed) and Federal Weblinks (by subject) documents]
For an in-depth look at the organization and responsibilities of individual agencies, see the United States Government Manual (www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/index.html). Page 21 of the manual (page 19 of the .pdf file) has an organization chart for the entire US government, but does not include the various sub-agencies under the Cabinet Departments.
Federal government information is often arranged by the agency that issued the document. When searching our catalog, you may see a call number for an item which seems unfamiliar. This is because our print collection is organized by the Superintendent of Documents Classification system, which arranges the items by the issuing agency. For example, the letter "C" indicates an item issued by the Commerce Department or one of its sub-agencies such as the Patent Office or the Bureau of the Census. A detailed explanation of the system can be found here: www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/explain.html.
Print Sources
The Business, Law, and Government (BLG) Services Section, located on the fifth floor of the Broward County Main Library, has a collection of print and microform materials, from many federal agencies, relating to a wide variety of subjects including economics, history, politics, science, and social sciences. In addition to current documents, the collection features special historical sets such as War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, and the Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (also known as the Warren Commission Report). Listings for most federal documents are now included in Broward County Library's online Library Catalog.
Materials received through the depository program remain the property of the federal government. As such, they are maintained as reference materials. On occasion, documents may be checked out for a limited period of time. The circulation of these materials is at the discretion of the librarian, based on the needs of customers as well as the value, age, and condition of the item. Some items or portions of items may be faxed in accordance with standard Broward County Library policies.
Microform collections
Another source for federal documents is American Statistics Index Microfiche Library, from Congressional Information Service. Full-text documents are available in microfiche format. This collection also includes books that index and abstract the statistical publications of federal government agencies.
The BLG Section also has special collections of historical sets such as the Papers of the Continental Congress, Confidential U.S. Diplomatic Post Records, Vietnam War Reports and Classified Histories, and National Security Files.
Click here to see a more comprehensive listing of titles in the microform collection.
Maps
The BLG Section has a collection of topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and nautical charts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Various areas of Florida and the waters surrounding Florida are included in these map collections.
Topographic maps (or contour maps) have many uses related to earth sciences, geographic planning, and mining, but they also have recreational uses (hiking, orienteering, etc.). They are graphic representations of the surface features of the land, both natural and man-made. They show the elevation of land and include hills, valleys, forest cover, and buildings as well as streams and other bodies of water. Additional information on topographic maps may be found at the USGS website at http://topomaps.usgs.gov.
Nautical charts are essential tools for marine navigation. They are graphic representations of maritime areas and the adjacent coastal regions. They include natural features of the seabed as well as man-made structures such as harbors and bridges. They show the depths of water and information on tides and currents as well as details of the coastline. In addition to the collection of nautical charts in the BLG Section, additional information can be found on the NOAA website at http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov.
Databases
GPO: Government Publications Online
This database provides access to the bibliographic records of federal documents from 1976 to the present. Many of the more recent documents include PURLS (Permanent Uniform Resource Locators) which link the user directly to the full text of the document.
Links to Federal Documents websites
Most current federal government documents are now available online through the websites of the government agencies that produce them. The following websites may be useful in locating federal documents.
Librarians' Internet Index: Websites You Can Trust
http://lii.org
This is a searchable and annotated subject directory of internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their usefulness to users of public libraries. Select "Government" and then "Federal (U.S.) Government" or type a keyword in the search box.
Search Engine
Google's Uncle Sam
www.google.com/unclesam
This search engine locates government resources by keyword.
General Government Portals
GPO Access
www.gpoaccess.gov
GPO Access provides direct access to current editions of a wide variety of important federal government publications including the Congressional Record, United States Code, and Code of Federal Regulations.
USA.gov
www.usa.gov
This portal to the websites of all federal agencies is managed by the U.S. General Services Administration and provides one-stop access to online federal government resources. It allows the user to find government information without the need to know which agencies produce the information. Search by keyword or browse under "Featured Subjects", "Interesting Topics", branches of government, or state and local information.
Executive Branch Websites
Executive Agencies, Cabinet Departments, and
Presidential Councils and Commissions
www.whitehouse.gov/government
Executive Office of the President of the United States www.whitehouse.gov/president
Independent Federal Agencies and Commissions
www.whitehouse.gov/government/independent-agencies.html
White House
www.whitehouse.gov
Cabinet Departments
Department of Agriculture
www.usda.gov
Department of Commerce
www.commerce.gov
Department of Defense
www.defenselink.mil
Department of Education
www.ed.gov/index.jhtml
Department of Energy
www.energy.gov/engine/content.do
Department of Health and Human Services
www.dhhs.gov
Department of Homeland Security
www.dhs.gov/dhspublic
Department of Housing and Urban Development:
www.hud.gov
Department of the Interior
www.doi.gov
Department of Justice
www.usdoj.gov
Department of Labor
www.dol.gov
Department of State
www.state.gov
Department of Transportation
www.dot.gov
Department of the Treasury
www.ustreas.gov
Department of Veterans Affairs
www.va.gov
Cabinet-Level Agencies and Offices
Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
Office of Management and Budget
www.whitehouse.gov/omb
Office of National Drug Control Policy
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
United States Trade Representative
www.ustr.gov
Legislative Branch
Congressional Record www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/d_three_sections_
with_teasers/congrecord.htm
Legislative history and information
http://thomas.loc.gov
Library of Congress
www.loc.gov
Library of Congress - Copyright Office
www.copyright.gov
Overview of the Legislative Process
www.house.gov/house/Tying_it_all.shtml
U.S. House of Representatives
www.house.gov
U.S. House of Representatives - Committees
www.house.gov/house/CommitteeWWW.shtml
U.S. House of Representatives - Party Organizations
www.house.gov/house/Party_organizations.shtml
U.S. Senate
www.senate.gov
U.S. Senate - Committees www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_three_sections_
with_teasers/committees_home.htm
U.S. Senators - Contact Information www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm
.cfm
U.S. Senate page on Treaties www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/d_three_sections_
with_teasers/treaties.htm
Virtual Reference Desk for Senate and Congressional Topics www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/b_three_sections_
with_teasers/virtual.htm
Judicial Branch
Bankruptcy Basics
www.uscourts.gov/bankruptcycourts/bankruptcybasics.html
Federal Court System
www.uscourts.gov
Federal District Courts and Circuit Courts of Appeal
www.uscourts.gov/courtlinks
Supreme Court Historical Society
www.supremecourthistory.org
Supreme Court of the United States
www.supremecourtus.gov
For a more comprehensive list of Federal government websites, click here.
For a list of Federal government websites, arranged by subject, click here.
LINKS: [BLG Home Page] [Government Home Page]
[Documents Guide - Census Bureau Publications]
[Documents Guide - Congressional Materials]
[Documents Guide - Federal Government Documents]
[Documents in the News]
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