QUICK GUIDE:  LOCATING UNITED NATIONS DOCUMENTATION

Mimeo or "Masthead" Documents at the Burns Law Library

Introduction
	According to Bluebook Rule 21.7 “...mimeographed documents, yearbooks, and periodicals are disfavored sources and should only be cited when preferred sources are unavailable or when the purpose of the citation so requires.”
	According to the U.N., “[m]asthead documents are issued on items of the agenda to be discussed during meetings of the principal organs. Some of these are later reprinted as annexes to the Official Records. In masthead form these documents are identified by a document symbol denoting the issuing body (i.e., T/), as well as an indication of the agenda item to which they pertain. Masthead documents are also issued by the subsidiary bodies of the principal organs. Among others these include, for example, standing, permanent and main committees (i.e., A/C.1/), Ad hoc committees (i.e., A/AC.-), commissions (i.e., A/CN.-), and conferences (i.e., A/CONF/-). The Secretariat issues masthead documents on a variety of subjects. The majority of the documents in the "ST/..." series are administrative instructions as well as reports and studies prepared by different offices."
Locating Mimeo or “Masthead” Documents at the Burns Law Library
	For documents after 1992, the most comprehensive database of mimeo documents can be found in the U.N. Official Document System (ODS). Searching by U.N. document symbol is the most efficient way to locate known documents. ODS can be found at http://documents.un.org/. For documents prior to 1992, 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 UN (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 Official Records.

 

last updated: 7/6/06