Understanding SuDocs Numbers
The Haas Library is a partial government documents repository. All governments documents are located on the third floor of the library - in Superintendent of Documents order.
The Superintendent of Documents uses an alpha/numeric classification system which assigns a SuDoc number to each publication. This system classifies each document by an institutional author (Congress or a government department, agency or commission), not by subject. A SuDoc number is composed of two major parts divided by the colon: the stem, which identifies the government department or agency (the author) that issued the publication and after the colon a book number which is specific to that document.
The following example for SuDoc number I 29.9/5: 156 illustrates this system.
|
I
|
= |
Department of the Interior |
|
29 |
= |
National Parks |
|
9 |
= |
bibliographies and lists (type of document e.g. an annual report, newsletter, etc. )
|
|
5
|
=
|
type of bibliography |
|
156
|
=
|
the book number |
SuDoc
numbers beginning with the letters A - T identify the executive
department or agency that published the document. Therefore, A is for
Agriculture, S is for the State Department. etc. The letters X and Y,
however, identify documents pertaining to Congress, such as hearings
and reports. An example is Y 4.J 89/2 : F/31/6.
Quick Tips:
- The dot (.) is a period, not a decimal.
- All numbers are whole numbers, not decimals (.9 comes before .12)
- Letters come before numbers
- Nothing comes before something (for ex. AE 1.102 : G 28 precedes AE 1.102 : G 28/2/Trans.7)
Ask a reference librarian:
There are actually two gov docs collections on the third floor - circulating and noncirculating. If you cannot find a document, please ask a reference librarian for assistance.