* Use the Library's online catalog:
http://catalog.mbln.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=bpl1
Many of the government publications the Library has received since 1976 are included in the Library's online catalog. You can search the catalog by title, author, subject, keyword, location, and format. Make note of the call number and location for the documents you would like to view and bring them to the Government Documents Department. You will need a Boston Public Library card to view the materials. Government documents do not circulate.

* For pre-1976 materials, you will need to use the microfiche card catalog, located in the Washington Room, to find the call number. You can search by agency, author, title, and subject. Take down the call number and location for any materials you would like to see. Many of these materials are kept in the Research Library Stacks. Since many of the U.S. government publications are entered under the name of the issuing agency, this search is best done in conjunction with the various detailed catalogs kept in the Government Documents Department. The Department also owns multiple historical microfiche collections of both congressional and executive branch documents which are best accessed using specialized indexes in the Department. 

* Check the Marcive WebDOCS catalog:
http://www.marcive.com/webdocs/webdocs.dll
Marcive WebDOCS is a general index to federal government documents published from 1976 to the present.  The index covers many types of federal government documents including agency publications, annual reports, census data, Congressional hearings, and statistical publications.

* Catalog of U.S. Government Publications:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locators/cgp/index.html
The Catalog is a search and retrieval service that provides bibliographic records of U.S. Government information products. Use it to link to Federal agency online resources or identify materials distributed to federal depository libraries. Coverage begins with January 1994 and new records are added daily. Additionally, you may want to visit GPO Access, a service of the U.S. Government Printing Office that provides free electronic access to a wealth of important information products produced by all three branches of the Federal Government.
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html 


* To locate government-related periodical articles, check the Periodicals Universe (in library use only):
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/usgpi/
The database contains subject and author indexing for over 170 government magazines and newsletters from 1988 to the present. Take note of the citation you are interested in and the Government Documents librarians will help you locate it. Paper indexes for earlier years (pre-1988) are available in the Government Documents Department.

* For Congressional material, check Congressional Universe (in library use only):
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp/
Search a wide variety of legislative, regulatory and related information. Users can track the course of a bill through the legislative process, view voting records, find member biographies, and more. This is a comprehensive online resource available for Congressional hearings, public issues, legislation, history, and legal research from 1970 to the present. A CD-rom (Congressional Materfile) is available in the Government Documents Department providing indexing to congressional publications from earliest dates to 1969. Paper indexes are also available. 

* If you need statistical information, use Statistical Universe (in library use only):
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/statuniv
This database is used to find statistical information created by federal, state, private and international agencies. Three statistical databases are part of the Statistical Universe, American Statistics Index (federal) covering 1973-present, Statistical Reference Index (state and private) covering 1980-present, and Index to International Statistics covering 1983-present. In addition to abstracts of statistical publications, this database also contains PowerTables for quick access to data. Write down the full citation to the publication you would like to see, and bring it to the Government Documents Department for further assistance. Many of these publications are available in microfiche.

Need more help? Visit, call, or email the Government Documents Department, on the 2nd floor at Copley, to request materials and receive reference assistance.