Access to Government Documents
As a Federal Depository Library, the Bowling Green State University Libraries provide free access for the general public to the U.S. government publications collection, including online resources. Federal depository resources are available and usable for all library customers regardless of library affiliation, disability, age, residency, or other customer status. Any member of the general public may use depository resources in all formats at a Federal depository library free of charge and without impediments.
For more information or assistance identifying and accessing government documents, contact the Research and Information Desk on the first floor of Jerome Library. For contact information see the Ask Us! page.
Starting Points
- BGSU Libraries CatalogThe catalog is great place to start searching for print and electronic government documents. You can narrow your search to just print government documents by choosing "Government Documents" in the "Location" field of an Advanced Search. The most effective way of searching for online government documents is to include the word "Marcive" as a search term.
- SummonSummon is a database that provides access to many of the resources accessible through the BGSU Libraries. It's a particularly good place to start when you have a known item. It's also an excellent place to look for online government documents.
- Catalog of U.S. Government PublicationsDescriptions of publications issued by the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S. government and links to those that are available online.
- ProQuest CongressionalProQuest Congressional is a comprehensive database that searches across current and historical documents of the United States Congress, many of which are included in full text. It includes the U.S. Serial Set (the published working papers of Congress), Congressional Hearings, the Congressional Record (through 1997) and hundreds of thousands of House and Senate reports, State of the Union messages, Congressional journals, hearings, high-resolution maps, and more.
BGSU Government Document Depository Information
BGSU Libraries collects United States, Ohio, Wood County, and Bowling Green government documents. See the descriptions of our collections below.
Federal Documents Collection
Bowling Green State University became a federal depository in 1933. We select 35% of the offered items. Our collection of online and tangible publications is rich in historical and current material. We hold the:
- Census of Population reports from 1790 to present
- Foreign Relations of the United States
- U.S. Treaties and International Agreements
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U.S. Congressional Serial Set and many other important historical primary research sets
Ohio Documents Collection
The department became an Ohio depository in 1953 and receives all agency publications distributed through the state depository program. Our state collection numbers about 20,000. The collection includes agency publications such as reports, directories, pamphlets, leaflets, posters, newsletters, and journals; the Judicial Branch materials including administrative opinions and state Supreme Court opinions and decisions; and Ohio General Assembly materials including the Laws of Ohio, and the House and Senate Journals.
Bowling Green City and Wood County DocumentsWe began collecting selected material from the City of Bowling Green in the early 1980's. The collection includes City Council Minutes, Mayor's Reports, the Bowling Green City Code of Ordinances, and the Annual report of the Bowling Green Police Division. The collection also includes a small number of Wood County government documents. A more extensive collection of Bowling Green City and Wood County documents are housed at the Wood County District Public Library.