What are Government Documents?
Government documents are publications or informal resources issued by both federal and state governments. They cover a wide variety of topics from art history to zoology, but are particularly strong in statistical information. The state/federal documents collection here at Ellender Memorial Library is strongest in the areas of business, education, health, history, legal studies and state and federal regulations.

What will I use Government Documents for?
Government documents are used for assignments in a wide variety of classes. You can use government documents for speeches, research papers, legal/law studies, career action planners, census statistics, genealogy, etc. Tools such as O*Net and the Occupational Outlook Handbook give detailed career information, including hiring predictions, educational requirements and job descriptions. Louisiana documents include statistics on health, education and employment for the state's residents. Federal documents give information on topics ranging from agriculture studies to Senate and House of Representative sessions. All government documents are free from the federal and state governments and are housed here at Ellender Memorial Library for public access.

How do I locate materials in Government Documents?
Government documents have Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) call numbers rather than Library of Congress (LC) or Dewey Decimal numbers. SuDocs are based on the agency that issued the document and they always contain a colon. They look like this - GP 3.24:997/1. The dot in the number is not a decimal; it is simply a divider. In the example given, the "24" should be read as twenty-four rather than point two four.

Can I check out Government Documents materials?
Yes and no. Some materials are available for a two-week checkout period. Other materials must stay in the department. Students can make copies of needed materials. Check with the librarian/staff to be sure and don't forget your Colonel Card. You will need it to check out materials.

Where is the Government Documents department?
Government documents is located on the third floor of the Ellender Memorial Library (which is located directly behind the student union). If you walk up the stairs, take a right at the top of the stairs, walk through the double doors and turn right again. If you take the elevator, turn right once you exit the elevator.

When is Government Documents open?
Government documents is open when the library is open. During regular school semesters, we are open M-Th 7:30am - 11:00pm and Friday 7:30am-4:30pm. Weekend hours are Saturday, 12:00pm-4:00pm and Sunday, 3:00pm-11:00pm. Interim hours are M-F 7:30am-4:30pm, closed on Saturday and Sunday. Holiday schedules vary from semester so please plan ahead and check the library homepage for time adjustments. (Staff shortages and unexpected emergencies may also affect the schedule.)

What if I have questions about Government Documents?
If you have questions about federal or state documents, please ask the government documents librarian or any other member of the documents department staff. We are here to answer your questions and give assistance. The phone number for the documents reference desk is 448-4667.