Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I find government information?
   1. Chinook/other resources
   2. SuDoc
   3. Map
   4. Location codes
2. Can I use the computers in Government Publications for writing my paper?
   1. What you can and cannot do
   2. Other campus computing resources
3. What's NORBAS? And what's there?
4. What's PASCAL offsite? And what's there?
5. Where are the nearest photocopiers?
6. Can I print or copy microfiche/microfilm?
7. Can I check out government publications?
8. Who can use this collection?
9. Can I access this information from home via the Web?
10. Do you have tax forms?
    

1. How do I find government information?
   1. Chinook: There are several ways to go about locating government information. A good place to start is in the libraries' catalog, Chinook. You can do a keyword search, and limit your search by location to Government Publications. This will turn up at least a few documents to get you started. However, most of our collection published prior to 1976 cannot be found by using Chinook, and so other finding aids are necessary. The Government Publications homepage has many of these finding aids broken down by the type of government information they cover (state, federal, foreign, and international). Start exploring there. Some more popular ones are Lexis/Nexis Congressional, Lexis/Nexis Statistical, and agency/organization specific websites such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Guides to our collections, such as "Historical Indexes to U.S. Government Publications Prior to 1976" can be very useful. Most importantly, Don't ever hesitate to ask one of the Government Publications' librarians for help!
   
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   2. Call number:
      If you found an item in Chinook, the citation should have included a call number. U.S. government publications use a call number system different from the rest of the library called SuDoc (short for Superintendent of Documents). SuDoc numbers begin with a one to four letter designation that reflects the name of the issuing agency. For example, a document put out by NASA would have a call number that starts with NAS. The publications from the Department of Agriculture start with the letter A. You can find a list of agency symbols currently in use at http://www.du.edu/bdld/exsudoc.htm#gtl14 and an in-depth explanation of the SuDoc system at http://www.du.edu/bdld/exsudoc.htm.
      
      State, foreign and international documents use a different classification system called the Swank/Jackson System. All call numbers for these publications begin with numbers. State documents (except for Colorado) start with one or two digits. Foreign documents begin with three digits. Documents from international organizations, such as the World Bank, the European Space Agency, and UNESCO have call numbers starting with four digits. The United Nations and the State of Colorado have their own classification systems that somewhat resemble the SuDoc system. Also, a lot of our publications are on microfiche. Check your record - does it say "[microform]" or "Issued to depository libraries in microfiche", or does the location say GOVPUB MICRO? If so, ask at the reference desk for the microfiche.
   
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   3. Map:
      If you have the call number for the publication you are looking for, refer to the map of the Government Publication stacks at http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/map.htm to find where we shelve that item.
   
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   4. Location Codes:

   Don't forget to make a note of the location code given in Chinook. Some of our documents are in the basement, some in the office, and others in the stacks. The codes are:

   GOVPUB AV: Ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB CD-ROM: Ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB CD LAN: Available on computers in Gov Pubs Reference area
   GOVPUB INTERNAT: International documents on levels 2B and 3A
   GOVPUB INDEX: Index shelves in Gov Pubs Reference area
   GOVPUB McGov: Ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB MICRO: Microform/Microfilm; ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB MAP CASE: Ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB MAP SHLF: Ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB OFFICE: Ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB INT OVER: Oversized international documents
   GOVPUB NB OVER: Norlin basement, Northeast corner
   GOVPUB Photo File: Ask for these at the Gov Pubs Reference Desk
   GOVPUB US OVER: Oversize U.S. section in the GovPubs reference area
   GOVPUB REF: Reference area outside the reference window
   GOVPUB UN: United Nations section on Floor 2B
   GOVPUB US: U.S. documents section in three areas - see map
   NORBASE GOV COLO: Colorado collection in Norlin Basement, east wall
   NORBASE GOV FOR: Foreign documents in Norlin Basement, east wall
   NORBASE GOV INT: International documents in Norlin Basement, east wall
   NORBASE GOV OVER: Oversize documents in Norlin Basement, east wall
   NORBASE GOVSTATE: State (non-Colorado) documents in Norlin Basement, east wall
   NORBASE GOV US: U.S. documents in Norlin Basement, east wall
   PASCAL OFFSITE: Low-use item sent to storage facility - can be recalled
   
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2. What functions do the computers in Government Publications offer?
   1. What you can and cannot do
      The computers in the Government Publications area are for searching Chinook, using the Gov Pubs CD-ROM network, or performing research using the web- not for writing papers. They are equipped with MS Word VIEWER - a program that allows you to view, but not create, Word documents. Brief notes can be composed using Word Pad, but this small program lacks the power to properly format a paper. Please also note that there are policies on the use of computer and electronic information resources in both the library Government Publications Library Policy on Electronic Information and on the campus Responsibilities of UCB Computer and Network Users.
      
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   2. Other campus computing resources
      Just to the East of Government Publications is a computing lab equipped with many Macs and PCs. Additionally, at the northwest corner of the library there is a larger Macintosh lab. These computers are all equipped with a full range of programs to help you write papers and complete other assignments. More information on these computer labs are available from the ITS Computing Labs.
      
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3. What's NORBAS? And what's there?
   
Norbas stands for Norlin Basement. The easternmost row of shelves in the basement is dedicated to government publications, and some of the items you might find down there are:

• Pre-1920 editions of the Serial Set (House and Senate documents/reports)
• State government publications, including Colorado documents
Foreign government publications


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4. What's PASCAL Offsite and what's there?
   
PASCAL is an offsite storage facility in which we are storing items with historically low circulation. To obtain an item that has PASCAL listed as its location code, simply take the citation information to the circulation desk and let them know that the item is stored offsite, or click on the "Recall/Hold" button in Chinook to request item(s) on-line. Students and faculty will need ID and PIN number to do it on-line. A requested item will usually be available within three days of placing the request. More information is available at http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/about/pascal.htm.

Public patrons can also request materials from PASCAL. They can either come to the Circulation Desk or call 303-492-5506 or 303-492-7747 to request item(s). The process normally takes 3-5 days. Please note that public patrons can call the above numbers to confirm the arrival of requested materials before coming to the Library to pick them up.

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5. Where are the nearest photocopiers?
   There are several in the copy center on the second floor, on the east side.
   
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6. Can I print or copy microfiche/microfilm?
   Yes! You can. We have one fiche and film reader that allows you to make copies. Additional reader/printers are located in the Media Library on the second floor. Copies are 25 cents a page. Additionally, if you have access to a fiche reader, we can make fiche-to-fiche copies for you for a $2.50 a sheet.
   
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7. Can I check out government publications?
   Yes! Most of our items, including most maps and compact discs, are available for checkout. To check these items out, simply take them to the circulation desk on the first floor as you would with any other library item. Certain items, mostly marked "non-circulating" are for library use only, but there are few with this designation.
   
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8. Who can use government pulications collection?
   Anyone is welcome to use the collection in the Government Publications Library. Borrowing privileges are slightly more restricted, but they are the same as for any other type of library materials. All CU students, faculty, and staff with library borrowing privileges are allowed to check out government publications. Non-CU community members can obtain public patron borrowing privileges by inquiring at the circulation desk. More information on borrowing privileges can be found at http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/circulation/patrons/.
   
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9. Can I access government information from home via the Web?
   Most of the sites linked from the Government Publications Webpages are available from any computer. Some of them, such as Congressional Universe and Statistical Universe, are only available on campus or to CU community members. For further information on remote access to campus resources, please visit Remote Access Information.
   
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10. Do you have tax forms?
    Yes! We've got the main federal ones plus the Colorado packets. Most forms are also available online, including previous years. Other states' forms are only available online. We have reproducible U.S. and Colorado forms that go back at least ten years (some date from the 80s). Federal tax forms go back to 1992. For additional tax form information check out Tax Forms and Information.
    
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