QUICK GUIDE:  LOCATING UNITED NATIONS DOCUMENTATION

I. INTRODUCTION 

A. Getting Started

This guide offers a brief primer on the various types of U.N. documentation and attempts to direct researchers toward the most useful publications, databases, and Internet resources for conducting U.N. research. For a more comprehensive treatment of the subject, see the United Nations Documentation: Research Guide  or Library Specialized Research Guide Number 6 : Guide to United Nations Research.

Bluebook Rule 21.7 identifies four categories of U.N. documentation :

1. Verbatim and Summary Records (Rule 21.7.1) 

a. For a list of databases and print indexes for locating Verbatim and Summary Records for the Main Bodies of the U.N., click on the appropriate link below:

i. General Assembly 
ii. Security Council 
iii. Economic and Social Council

2. Resolutions (Rule 21.7.2)

a. For information on identifying and locating Resolutions click here.

3. U.N. Reports (Rule 21.7.3)

a. For information on identifying and locating U.N. Reports click here.

4. U.N. Press Releases and Memoranda (Rule 21.7.4)

a. For information on identifying and locating U.N. Press Releases and Memoranda click here.

5. Adjudicatory Bodies Established by the U.N. (Rule 21.7.5)

a. For information on identifying and locating documentation from Adjudicatory Bodies established by the U.N. click here.

6. Sales Documents (Rule 21.7.7)

a. For information on identifying and locating sales documents, click here.

7. Mimeographed Documents (Rule 21.7.8)

a. For information on identifying and locating mimeographed documents click here.

8. Yearbooks or Periodicals (Rule 21.7.9)

a. For information on identifying and locating yearbooks and periodicals click here.

9. Regional Organization Documents (Rule 21.7.10)

a. For information on identifying and locating regional organization documents click here.

The Burns Law Library maintains a microfiche collection of United Nations documents consisting of official records only. In other words, the collection includes only meeting records of the major bodies of the U.N. (either verbatim or summary transcripts); resolutions; reports of major organs, committees, and commissions, as well as the budget and financial reports (each issued as a separately numbered "Supplement"). So-called "mimeographed" (also known as "masthead") documents may or may not be included in this collection. The collection covers the period 1946-present. For documents prior to 1993, the microfiche collection will be the only source for these materials.

Documents are filed by their document "symbol" (see http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/symbol.htm), i.e., an identifying number that arranges documents by the issuing body. These documents are not cataloged in JACOB and can only be located by using the appropriate print or electronic index. Official Records prior to 1993 (48th session) are only available in microfiche format.

The Burns Law Library also receives a supplementary microfiche collection of documents issued by the Charter and Treaty-based United Nations human rights bodies that are not issued as an Official Record.

Locating documents by U.N. organizations other than the main bodies can be difficult. Often, independent organizations within the U.N. system such as the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) maintain their own document publishing operations and do not distribute their materials within the main system. For recent materials, it is often a good idea to check the individual body's website, if the body maintains one. For earlier materials, search JACOB or one of the databases noted in the next section to identify relevant documents. Some useful website locators are listed there.

III. General Databases for Locating United Nations Documents

The following databases are useful for locating full-text documents or for identifying correct document symbols in order to retrieve documents from the fiche collection. Databases are either full-text or provide indexing only. Choose the appropriate database based on the date of the publication of the document
 

• Official Document System (ODS) of the United Nations
	http://www.ods.un.org/ods/
		This is the most comprehensive full-text database available providing text and PDF format documents (format depends on document type) since 1993 for records of the General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies; the Security Council and its subsidiary bodies; the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies; and the Trusteeship Council. In addition, it provides full-text of all resolutions and decisions (in official records format) of the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Trusteeship Council from 1946 onwards. A number of search methods are available. Ask for the password at the Reference Desk.
• UNBISnet
	http://unbisnet.un.org/
		The online catalog of the U.N.'s Dag Hammarskjold Library contains records for UN documents and publications published from 1979 to the present. It provides bibliographic information, including the document symbol for publications, but does not provide full-text. It also includes indexes of voting records and speeches.
• UNIQUE
	http://lib-unique.un.org/lib/unique.nsf
		UNIQUE serves as a ready-reference source for obtaining document symbols for recurring United Nations reports. This is also merely an index and does not provide full-text.
• UN System Pathfinder
	http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/pathfind/frame/start.htm
		The Pathfinder lists the major publications of various organizations of the U.N. by subject. Like UNIQUE, it also provides document symbols and is not full-text.
• AccessUN
	http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/Homepage?p_action=doc&p_theme=current&p_nbid=B60F5DOWMTA1NTE3MDIxMS41MTA4MTc6MToxMToxMjguMTY0LjEzMw
		Provides indexing to United Nations documents including Official Records, masthead documents, draft resolutions, meeting records, U.N. Sales Publications, and the U.N. Treaty Series. Some unofficial full-text documents are also available. Covers the period 1998-present.
• Index to United Nations Documents and Publications
	[Location: Reserve: JZ 4935 .R43]
		This CD-ROM index provides citations, with selected full text, to a wide range of U.N. publications, including a large number of mimeographed documents and individual articles in some U.N. journals. Coverage of the database is 1945/46 to date. If the full text of a U.N. document is available, "full text of this document follows its citation" appears at the top of the record. It is available for use at the Reference Department standalone computer, which is located adjacent to the Reference Desk.

 last updated: 7/6/06