Federal Depository Collection

The federal depository collection is made up of paper, microfiche, cds, and dvds. You can use Library Search to find material published from 1976 to the present. For earlier material, it is best to contact library staff with your inquiry.

Online Federal Government Materials

Many U.S. Federal government publications are available in online format. You can search them using the databases on the "Databases and Print Resources" page or use LibrarySearch.

What is the SuDocs System?

Paper, microfiche, CD, and DVD documents are shelved by Superintendent of Documents or SuDoc call number.  Unlike a Library of Congress call number system, which organizes material by subject, the SuDoc number system organizes material by issuing agency. There is always a colon (:) in a SuDoc number.

Let's break apart a SuDoc number:

A 13.28:H 94/5   

A - This tells us that this document originates from  the Department of Agriculture.

13 - This tells us that the publication comes from the Forest Service, an agency in the department.

.28 - This is the number for maps from the Forest Service.

:H 94/5   This is what librarians call a Cutter number. It represents a major word  in the title of the document so that all of the maps in A 13.28 file in alphabetical order. In this case the H 94/5 stands for the Huron National Forest.

The title of this document is: Fishing the Huron National Forest.

In addition to cutter numbers, you can find; years, volume and issue numbers, and series numbers after the colon.

     D 114.15:1989                                 This is an annual report covering 1989

     EP 1.23/6:600/R-93/012 C            This is a really long series number