Government Quick Reference | International Web Resources | Alphabetical List of International Web Resources

International Documents

Scope of the Collection
Depositories
Arrangement of the Collection
Access to the Collection
Circulation
Indexes to U.N. and International Organization Publications
Statistics, Indexes, and Source
Full-Text CD-ROMs
Basic Sources of United Nations Information
Basic Sources of International Organization Information
Sources on the World Wide Web
Model U.N. Clubs

Scope of the Collection

This section gets publications from over 50 international intergovernmental organizations, such as the United Nations, European Union, Organization of American States, etc.

Foreign government publications held by the UNC library system are listed in the card catalog or the online catalog and are not part of the international documents collection.

An excellent source for information on foreign government publications is the Guide to Official Publications of Foreign Countries, shelved at the Reference Desk, Z7164.G7G83 1990. This will give foreign language titles of foreign government publications. For instance, in Germany, the Proceedings of the Federal Council are "Verhandlungen des Bundesrates." This publication would be listed in the card catalog or the DRA catalog under the German title, not the English title.

The BA/SS Guide to British Government Publications is shelved at the Reference Desk Z209.Px 1989. This comprehensive guide to British publications available at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University, was compiled by Pat Langelier, International Documents Librarian here until 1989.

Depositories

The section is a depository for publications from the U.N. (1946-), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Until 1993, we were a depository for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Depositories receive certain designated classes of publications or what these organizations send -- they do not get all items published by an organization.

Arrangement of the Collection

Reference Reading Room: Some international documents, mostly statistical serials, are cataloged and classified and shelved with the Reference LC collection. UN Official Records are shelved on Wall Shelving, Sections 1-7 and Row 10.

Reference Desk: In the room behind the Reference Desk, there is a section of international documents -- statistical publications, directories, guides -- arranged by issuing organization.

Documents Stacks: Most of the collection is shelved in the basement, by issuing organization, then title; serials and monographs interfiled. The UN, FAO, IAEA, OAS, and UNESCO assign symbol numbers (e.g. ST/ESA/STAT/Ser.R/101) to some publications; these are shelved before publications shelved by title.

Access to the Collection

The Authority File and the Check-In File are in the Documents Section Processing Area, behind the Reference Desk.

Authority File: This listing of the organizations we collect shows which drawers contain check-in records and where the publications will be shelved in the documents stacks.

Check-IN File: The Check-in File is a shelf list.

1. International section: Arranged by organization, then title. Exceptions: In the sections for the FAO, IAEA, OAS, and UNESCO, documents checked in by series symbol precede those checked in by title.
2. United Nations section: Documents are checked in by series symbol (eg A/46/72), except for two drawers arranged alphabetically by title. Cards for UN Official Records are in Drawer A, arranged by session: General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Security Council, Trade and Development Board, Trusteeship Council.
3. Sales Number Drawer: Sales numbers follow this pattern: E.90.II.A.2. We do not use Sales numbers for shelving or check-in purposes. Cards in this drawer will give references from the Sales number to the title or series symbol of the document.
4. Republications File: Items with a red check on check-in cards have been republished. Cards in the Republications file are arranged by symbol number and list where the document has been republished.

Notes: Records for Serial publications are being added to the online catalog. Monographs are not listed in the paper card catalog or the online catalog. Publications catalogs, arranged by organization, are shelved on Row 10. Many catalogs have check marks by the titles of publications that we have received.

Circulation

Documents shelved in the basement circulate for a month with these exceptions:
Documents with an orange dot do not circulate.
UN General Assembly Official Records do not circulate.
Documents shelved at the Reference Desk or the Reference Reading Room are Building Use Only.

Indexes to U.N. and International Organization Publications

The CD's listed below are kept in the CD Cabinets in the Electronic Documents Area, to the left of the Reference Desk. They are used on the Electronic Documents computers.

Human Rights: Bibliographical Data and International Instruments (CD-ROM) 1995. An index to UN publications dealing with human rights, 1980-1994; includes texts of 95 international human rights treaties/conventions/resolutions.

Index to House of Commons Parliamentary Papers (CD-ROM) 1991-.

Index to Proceedings [of the UN General Assembly, Economic and Social

Council, Security Council, and Trusteeship Council] are shelved on Row 10. Has various indexes: subject, speeches, charts showing voting records on resolutions, etc.

Index to United Nations Documents and Publications (CD-ROM) 1985- Monthly. Contains bibliographic records of UN official records, documents, mimeographed items, periodicals, and some resolutions.

International Bibliography. 1973-1991. Shelved on Row 10.An index to publications of international intergovernmental organizations.

OECD Index (CD-ROM) 9/95-

PAIS International In Print 1915- Shelved on Row 7. Also on CD-ROM (1972-) as PAIS. (The CD is available in U-Search) Indexes books and periodical articles in the social sciences; includes publications of UN and international intergovernmental organizations.

UNBIS PLUS (CD-ROM) 1975- Indexes UN documents in addition to books and periodicals dealing with international affairs issues. Includes some full-text resolutions.

United Nations documents indexes: Beginning in 1946, the official index to United Nations publications has had various titles; all titles are shelved together on Row 10. The last title was UNDOC, which ceased publication in Sept. 1996. When using these indexes, it’s important to note that some types of publications are indexed but not distributed to depository libraries: 1) "Limited Distribution" publications. These have an L. as one of the last elements of the symbol number. e.g. A/46/C.3/L.34

2) "Restricted Distribution" publications. These have an R. as one of the last elements of the symbol number. e.g. A/46/3/R.34

3) Publications listed as "Not for Deposit."

UNESCO Databases (CD-ROM) 1993 Contains ten databases indexing UNESCO publications.

Statistics Indexes and Sources

Datastream. This is on-line service is available through the EIS section of the Reference Dept. and includes data from the OECD and the IMF. This is a huge collection of data with many time series going back 30-40 years. Statistics from foreign governments are also included.

EUROSTAT-CD (CD-ROM) 1994- This is the electronic version of the Statistical Yearbook of the European Community.

Index to International Statistics (IIS) 1983-present. Shelved on Row 19. A comprehensive index to statistics published in UN or international intergovernmental documents. We have many, but not all, of the publications indexed here. We have the accompanying microfiche collection of publications beginning with 1996.

International Statistical Yearbook. 1994-present. This is kept in the EIS section of the Reference Dept. This includes statistics from the IMF, OECD, and United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

OECD Main Economic Indicators. 1992 (floppy disk)

Statistical Yearbook. (United Nations) 39th issue, 1993. CD-ROM version includes 100 tables with data for 1981-1992.

WISTAT: Women’s Indicators and Statistics Database. (CD-ROM) Data on women, worldwide, 1970-1993.

World Data 1995: World Bank Indicators. (CD-ROM). 700 time series, 1960-1994.

Full-Text CD-ROM’s

Earth Summit. An electronic collection of documentation relating to the UN Conference on Environment and Development held in June 1992.

Hansard: The Official Report of the House of Commons. 1993- Verbatim texts of debates in the British House of Commons.

House of Lords Hansard: The Official Report of the House of Lords. 1994/95- Verbatim texts of debates in the British House of Lords.

ILOLEX. International Labour Organization. A CD-ROM version of the International Labour Code--a set of standards concerning human rights, employment policy, working conditions, etc.

Basic Sources of United Nations Information

Annual Review of United Nations Affairs. Reference Room JX1977.C4832.

Everyone's United Nations. Reference Desk JX1977.A37 E9.

Issues Before the [session] of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Reference Room JX1977.A1U5244a.

UN Chronicle. Reference Desk, International Documents section.

United Nations Handbook. Reference Desk JX 1977.A1U536. Good directory information about the organization of the UN, its’s structure; includes addresses, some personnel.

Yearbook of the United Nations. Reference Room JX1977.A37Y4. An excellent overview of what went on in a particular year. Includes full text of some resolutions. The numerous references to UN documents/publications include the symbol number.

Basic Sources of International Organization Information

Europa Yearbook Reference Desk JN1.E85, Vol 1.

Yearbook of International Organizations. Reference Desk JX1904.A42. Less detailed than the Europa but includes more organizations.

The Internet

The Documents Section Home Page: This provides links to information by level of government: local, state, federal, international, foreign government; information by subject; and information of interest to documents librarians.

The United Nations and other international intergovernmental organizations have mounted web pages that contain a variety of information--full texts of documents, publications lists, directories, etc. Please look at our Home Page when you have an opportunity.

Model UN Clubs

Many high school and college Model UN Clubs use the UN collection to prepare for their United Nations simulations. They search for: 1) information about a country; 2) texts of speeches given by a country's representative at the UN; and 3) how a country's representative voted on UN resolutions. They use UN Official Records shelved on Row 10 or WS 1-7 and country information sources shelved at the Reference Desk.

The "Model UN Clubs"box in the International Documents section at the Reference Desk contains a list of country information sources available in the Reference Department.

Most clubs focus on the UN General Assembly. Basic guides to finding texts of General Assembly speeches and voting records on General Assembly resolutions are taped to the end panel of Row 10, near the Index to Proceedings.

For additional assistance in this area, contact:
Mike Van Fossen, International and State Documents Librarian
Email: vanfosen@refstaff.lib.unc.edu

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