Federal Documents
About -- Searching Documents -- Locating Older Material -- Citing Government Publications
About the Collection
VCU Libraries was designated as a selective Federal Depository Library in 1971. The Library is committed to providing access to depository materials that support the research, instructional, and curricular needs of the University as well as the needs of the 3rd Congressional District. The majority of federal documents are housed at the James Branch Cabell Library. Materials relevant to the health sciences are housed at the Tompkins-McCaw Library.
The federal documents collection is arranged by the Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) classification number system. The SuDoc system is based on the organizational structure of the U.S. Government. Federal documents publications are grouped by various federal departments, bureaus, and agencies. Each executive department and agency, the Judiciary, Congress and other major independent establishments are assigned alphabetical designations which are based on the name of the organization.
Searching Documents
VCU Libraries Catalog
Print and electronic government documents from 1994-present can be found in the catalog. To limit your search to government information, select the Advanced Search option and limit the format to US Government Document. Selected older documents can be found in the catalog as well, but not all of the collection is represented.
Government Documents Monthly Catalog 
(1976-present)
Citations for publications of the U.S. government. Includes legislative materials and the vast array of publications from the executive branch agencies.
Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (1976-present)
The CGP indexes over 500,000 historic and government publications, and provides direct links to online documents. It is similar to the Government Documents Monthly Catalog, but with a look and feel closer to that of the VCU Libraries Catalog.
LexisNexis Government Documents Periodicals Index (1988-present)
Citations for articles on a variety of topics published in US Government magazines/newsletters. Some of these are available online through the Government Periodicals on the Web link.
LexisNexis Congressional
Contains congressional reports, hearings, committee prints, documents, and bills; the Congressional Record; the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations; information on congressional members, including biographical and financial information, voting record, and profiles of their congressional district.
Locating Older Material
The following sources contain citations of older government publications.
Descriptive Catalogue of the Government Publications of the United States, 1774-1881
Cabell Reference Z1223 .A1885d
Checklist of United States Public Documents, 1789-1909
Cabell Reference Z1223 .A113 1962
also online at: http://govdocs.evergreen.edu/tools/1909checklist/index.html
Cumulative Title Index to United States Public Documents, 1789-1976
Cabell Reference Z1223 .Z7 L47 J83
Comprehensive Index to the Publications of the United States Government, 1881-1893
Cabell Reference Z1223 .A13 1962
Cumulative Subject Index to the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, 1900-1971
Cabell Reference Z1223 .A182
United States Government Publications Monthly Catalog Decennial Cumulative Personal Author Index
Cabell Reference Z1223 .A18 U54
Index to U.S. Government Periodicals
This is the earlier, print version of LexisNexis Government Documents Periodicals Index
Cabell Reference Z1223 .Z7 I38
Citing Government Publications
Citing Government Information Sources Using MLA (Modern Language Association) Style
Access sample citations and additional information from the University of Nevada.
Uncle Sam : Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications
Information and examples from the University of Memphis.
DocsCite
A step-by-step guide to putting government publication citations into proper style format from Arizona State University.