"This library is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law." (Title 44 United States Code)
What is the Federal Depository Library Program?
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established by Congress to ensure that the American public has access to its Government's information. Since 1813, depository libraries have safeguarded the public's right to know by collecting, organizing, maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from the Federal Government. The FDLP provides Government information at no cost to designated depository libraries throughout the country and territories. These depository libraries, in turn, provide local, no-fee access to Government information in an impartial environment with professional assistance.
Understanding Superintendent of Documents or SuDoc Numbers:
Each government document has its own classification number that identifies it called a SuDoc number. SuDoc numbers designate the issuing agency, the office, the type of document, and the individual source. For example:
I 29.9/5: 139
Knowing the SuDoc number of a source will help you find the document in another library should Texas Tech Law Library not have it. Contact a Reference Librarian to assist you if needed.
Government documents are publications published and distributed by the government rather than by commercial publishers. Documents include such commonly used titles as United States Reports, the United States Code, and the Code of Federal Regulations. They also include a wide range of both popular and obscure pamphlets, posters, treatises, annuals, maps and journals on every subject. Government documents can be valuable research sources and are often cited in legal literature. Though documents are still published in a variety of traditional formats, including paper, microfiche and CD ROM, more are being published daily on the Internet. (from Penn Law Library)
The majority of titles received via the FDLP program are incorporated into the general collection, using Library of Congress classification. There are some exceptions. Most of the House and Senate Reports and Hearings that the Law Library receives in print are housed in the government document collection using the Superintendent of Documents classification.
The United States Government Manual provides the following organizational chart of U.S. Government. It's a good starting point for where you can start your research: Legislative, Executivie, or the Judicial Branch.
Another good place to start your research may be the website of the specific department or agency in which you are interested. The A - Z index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies is a directory of U.S. federal government agencies, departments, corporations, instrumentalities, and government-sponsored enterprises. This index provides websites, email, phone numbers, addresses, and.much more.
Most government websites are structured similarly and will feature the following sections:
About Us: A government website's "About Us" section will include information on the agency's mission statement, organizational structure, statutory authority, annual reports, and sometimes information on their budget.
Statutes and Regulations: A typical government website structure often includes a dedicated section for accessing "statutes" (laws passed by Congress) and "regulations" (detailed rules implemented by that specific agency or department based on those statutes),
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): This section will describe how to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the agency's FOIA process, contact information for the agency's FOIA officer, and a link to the agency's FOIA reading room where proactively released documents can be found.
All materials added to the documents collection are cataloged and inventoried on the online catalog which contains the holdings of the University Library, Law Library, and Special Collections. The public may search the online public access catalog from anywhere in the world. In addition to the online catalog, the Law Library provides access to other sources of information about government documents. These include access to the internet, where users can access all of the resources available through the FDLP, as well as other depository collections (e.g. the Regional Depository Library located elsewhere on campus).
Anyone may use the government documents collection. Print documents are located throughout the Law Library and may circulate to users with a library account. Microfiche documents are located in the Lower Basement. A reader-printer-scanner provides copies at no charge. Printing/Copying using the multifunction machines in the Law Library are available for a cost of .10/page, but most things are able to be scanned/emailed for no charge.
Use the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) to identify publications from the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S. government. If you find a title of interest, click on the Locate in a Library link near the bottom of the record to identify a library that might have the publication in its U.S. depository collection. Make a note of the SuDoc number and Item number of the material.
The CGP is not comprehensive for pre-1976 government publications. These can be identified by using Worldcat and the earlier years of the CGP and related catalogs.
How does a Bill become a Law?
"Laws begin as ideas. First, a representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated or amended. If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee and, if released, debated and voted on. Again, a simple majority (51 of 100) passes the bill. Finally, a conference committee made of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval. The Government Printing Office prints the revised bill in a process called enrolling. The President has 10 days to sign or veto the enrolled bill." --- House of Representatives [n.d.]. The Legislative Process.
For more information:
If you do not locate your bill at one of the websites listed below, you can also search to see if it was printed in the Congressional Record when introduced or after passage in one chamber (search in the Cong. Rec. Index), in a House or Senate report, in a House or Senate hearing, or in a compiled legislative history.
NOTE:
An enrolled bill is the final official copy of the bill or joint resolution which both the House and the Senate have passed in identical form. After it is certified by the chief officer of the house in which it originated (the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate), then signed by the House Speaker and the Senate President Pro Tempore, the measure is sent to the President for signature.
An engrossed bill is the official copy of the bill or joint resolution as passed by one chamber, including the text as amended by floor action, and certified before it is sent to the other chamber.
Slip Laws
Statutes at Large
U.S. Code