Library:GovernmentPublications

Government information at UBC Library

Government Publications for the humanities and social sciences are located within Koerner Library or online via licensed or open access databases. For print materials, UBC does not use CODOC to classify government publications. The majority will be found by Library of Congress classification number.

The bulk of the government publications collection is housed in Koerner Library; however, depending on the subject matter you will also find government publications at the other UBC Library branches including Woodward Library, David Lam Business Library, Education Library, and the Law Library.

The Library subscribes to many specialized databases to help with government and NGO research:

• IMF e-Library
• World Bank e-Library
• Digital National Security Archive
• CQ Weekly/CQ.com
• House of Commons (U.K) Parliamentary Papers
• HeinOnline
• UN iLibrary
• WTO iLibrary
• OECD iLibrary

Research Guides

Use one of these Research Guides to identify and locate government materials by jurisdiction.

• British Columbia
• Canada
• Canadian Census
• Canadian Statistics
• Intergovernmental Organizations
• International Statistics
• United States Federal Government
• United States Statistical Resources

Collections

Koerner Library was a full print depository library for the Government of Canada. With the termination of the print Depository Services Program (DSP), the library now relies on the DSP MARC records to be ingested into the library's OPAC. If you're searching for any federal Canadian publication, search the library website and print or online holdings will appear.

We also receive a comprehensive selection of materials from the BC government both in print an online. Publications from other Canadian provinces and municipalities are collected on a selective basis. Koerner Library also holds depository status with the following international organizations:

• United Nations (selective agencies, the United Nations Depository Program, UNDP, ended in 2012)
• Food and Agriculture Organization (UN specialized agency)
• World Health Organization (UN specialized agency)
• European Union
• Asian Development Bank

For a full description of the Government Publications collections at UBC Library, see Government Publications Collections.

Web Archiving

The UBC Web Archiving Initiative was created in 2013, with the purpose of ensuring the preservation and access of web content that contributes to the fulfillment of the institution’s mission. The content should fulfill at least one of the following criteria:

• Be of interest to the University
• Contribute to research, learning and teaching
• Be associated with UBC’s corporate memory

Thus, the following types of websites are considered within the scope of our collection:

• Research, public or governmental interest
• Historical or geographically local significance
• Complementary to relevant existing collections
• Content produced by the University or affiliated organizations

Many of the Library's web archive includes federal, provincial and some municipal government information pertaining to interdisciplinary research.

Gov Pubs in research

Government publications are excellent providers of primary source materials, covering topics diverse enough to be of interest to researchers in every discipline.

• locate a bill and all its amendments
• access government-funded research
• locate and read declassified military documents
• track a politician's voting record
• read transcripts of government hearings and much more.

Contact Us

• Susan Paterson, Government Publications Librarian