For links to many government resource sites,click here.

Constitution Day webpage.

Government information is any information printed or released electronically at government expense or by the authority of a government agency. In subject, this information covers every aspect of life, just as commercial information does. In format, government information appears as books, pamphlets, periodicals, maps, posters, videos, CD-Roms, and most recently as online files via the Internet. Government information released in a physical format is known as government documents.

U.S. Documents in the Mary Couts Burnett Library are shelved as a separate collection. They are arranged on the shelves by a special classification system known as the Superintendent of Documents classification by which materials are grouped by issuing agency. A detailed explanation of this system is available on the library website. Published information of nearly every agency of the U.S. government is represented--from geological surveys to census figures to presidential economic reports to congressional hearings on proposed legislation to agricultural bulletins on how to plant a vegetable garden. Many U.S. documents are distributed on microfiche, and these are filed in special cabinets in the documents stacks. Selected U.S. documents are released on CD-ROM or on floppy disk. An increasing amount of government information is now available online.

The Mary Couts Burnett Library is also a depository for Texas state documents. This collection also is shelved as a separate collection and is maintained and serviced by the staff of the Government Information and References Departments. Texas publications received since January 1990 are indexed in the online catalog. Publications of special interest include agricultural publications, general and specific laws of Texas, House and Senate journals, Railroad Commission reports, and Water Resources Department publications. Texas government information is also available online (see links under "State/Texas").

In 1991, the TCU Library was granted status as a European Reference Centre by the Commission of the European Communities. In 1996, status changed to European Union Documentation Centre. As such, the Library receives basic documentation and reference works on the European Union. These publications are cataloged in the online catalog and are shelved as part of the general collection.

The Superintendent of Documents of the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., has sent federal documents to the Library in regular shipments, without cost, since 1916 when the Library was officially designated a "depository library." Such libraries are selected by members of Congress in accordance with geographical boundaries so that all persons throughout the country may have access to the publications of the U.S. government. Some of the earlier documents, especially those of the nineteenth century, have been purchased by the Library. The Texas State Library and the European Office of Publications distribute Texas and EU documents, respectively.

The documents collections are maintained and serviced by the staff of the Government Information and Reference Departments. A search of the TCU Library Catalog will access records for most documents published since 1976. Information about earlier publications and publications not available at TCU is provided through other indexes. A reference librarian will help in using these indexes to determine if government publications are available in an area of interest. Most paper and microfiche documents are located in the Government Documents stacks. Some can be checked out for use in the library's Reference Room. The library is unable to support in-house access to a number of CD-ROM titles. These titles are available for check out only.

An increasing amount of government information can now be found online. The Government Information web pages provide links to a selection of local, state, federal and international information. Links to some full-text documents are available by searching the Library Catalog. If an electronic version of a document is available, the Library Catalog record will provide a link to it.

Most U.S., Texas, and European Union documents may be charged out at the Check Out Desk to patrons with borrowing privileges. There is no copyright on most government documents, so there are few restrictions on photocopying.

• Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
  (Government Documents Stacks)
  This official bibliography, published by the U.S. Government Printing Office since 1895, lists all publications. Although the format of the Monthly Catalog has varied over the years, it is possible to find documents listed by subject, author (usually a government agency), and since 1974, by title. Indexes are included in each monthly issue and cumulate annually. An online version of the Monthly Catalog or Catalog of U.S. Government Publications contains cataloging records published since 1976..
  
  
• Cumulative Title Index to United States Public Documents, 1789-1976
  (Government Alcove)
  When searching for the classification number of a specific document, this 16 volume, single-alphabet, commercially published index is very helpful.
  
  
• American Statistics Index
  (Government Alcove)
  A comprehensive guide and index to the statistical publications of the U.S. government, this commercial publication has appeared monthly with annual cumulations since 1974. Recent editions are available online to the TCU community via LexisNexis Statistical Universe.
  
  
• Congressional Information Service (CIS)
  (Government Alcove)
  Issued monthly since 1970 with annual cumulations, this commercial service abstracts and indexes all congressional publications including hearings, committee prints, reports, and documents. Recent issues are available online to the TCU Community via LexisNexis Congressional.