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TITLE: GPO Access
LOCATION: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces001.html
OTHER COPIES: Mirrors of at least the major databases are maintained at several sites,
including Auburn University State Library (WWW), Louisiana State University Libraries
Gateway, North Carolina State University Libraries Gateway, Oklahoma State University
(WWW), Purdue University (WWW), Renne Library, Montana State University-Bozeman,
SAILOR (Maryland's Online Public Information Network), the University of California (WWW),
the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (WWW), the University of New Mexico,
Zimmerman Library (WWW), the University of North Carolina (Lynx), WINSLO
(Web Information Network, State Library of Ohio (WWW)), and various telnet and gopher sites.
Reviewed for this page were:
UTenn/Knoxville....http://www.lib.utk.edu/gpo/ Purdue.............http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/gpo/ UCalif/San Diego...http://ssdc.ucsd.edu/gpo/ UTexas.............http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/GPO_Access.html
SCOPE: The GPO Access web site is already comprehensive enough in its inclusion of recent material to be difficult to summarize here, and more material is listed as under development. Among the more significant resources are full-text versions of the Congressional Record, the Federal Register, the United States Code (January 1994 version, with links to relevant public laws), Public Laws, and the Government Manual (95-96 edition). Descriptions of most (not all) of the mounted databases, together with hints for searching them, are included in a second main menu item ("Description..."). The other menu headings conceal lists of mirror (gateway) sites, a searchable version of the Monthly Catalog, and many of the GPO subject bibliographies, as well as more miscellaneous information.
DATES: Dates of coverage vary by database, but most cover the 103rd and 104th Congresses; some include material as early as 1992; some bibliographic databases may include earlier material.
CONTENTS: The top-level choices on the GPO Access page include: Connection to the Online Databases -- Description of the Online Databases [incomplete] -- Access methods for Online Databases -- Free Public Access Through a Federal Depository Library Gateway -- Free Public Access On Site at a Federal Depository Library -- GPO Access Federal Locator Services -- GPO Access On-Demand Delivery Services.
The basic searchable textual databases available under the first heading include:
Campaign Reform Hearing
Congressional Bills, 103d Congress
Congressional Bills, 104th Congress
Congressional Directory 1995-6
Congressional Documents, 104th Congress
Congressional Record, v. 140 (1994)
Ditto v. 141
Ditto v. 142
Congressional Record Index (1992)
Ditto 93
Ditto 94
Ditto 95
Ditto 96
Congressional Reports 104th Congress
Economic Indicators 104th Congress
Federal Register, v. 59 (1994)
Ditto v. 60
Ditto v. 61
GAO Reports
Government Manual
History of Bills, V. 140 (1994)
History of Bills, v. 141
Ditto v. 142
House Calendar, 104th Congress
Privacy Act Issuances 1993 Compilation
Public Laws, 104th Congress
Senate Calendar, 104th Congress
Unified Agenda (1994)
Unified Agenda (1995)
United States Code
A more miscellaneous set of information is available under the "Federal Locator Services" heading, including:
And under the "On-demand Delivery Services Heading" may be found:
AUTHORITY: U.S. GPO.
INDEXES: The search engine and interface to the GPO databases is quite sophisticated by web standards, allowing Boolean operators, adjacency operators, and nesting. Any number of databases may be searched simultaneously. In addition, "advanced searches are currently supported for three databases: 1995 and 1996 Federal Register; 1995 and 1996 Congressional Record; GAO Reports; [and] GILS Records and Privacy Act Notices. Fields in these databases make it possible to perform more specific searches, such as limiting results by date or by section of the Register or Record specific to the individual databases." Searches of a database always include among the hits a record that describes the database and a record that analyzes the results of the search--making explicit the logical structure of the search command as interpreted by the search engine, and the number of hits each element of the search discovered. Particular databases may be searched by features peculiar to those databases, e.g. the USC by title and section, or public law number, or statute-at-large citation; the Congressional Record by H.R. bill number; etc. The Monthly Catalog, for example, may be limit searches to particular fields: Full Text of MOCAT Records; Title; Publication Year; Superintendent of Documents Class Number; Depository Item Number; GPO Sales Stock Number. Most of the detailed provisions are explained in the notes accompanying most of the databases. There is also provision, and instructions, for access using local (to the user) WAIS clients: I did not attempt this.
SPECIAL FEATURES: A variety of access mechanisms is supported, including SWAIS via a telnet connection, WAIS using local clients, direct dial-in, web access, mirrored web access through the "gateway" sites, and access at depository libraries.
PURPOSE AND ASSESSMENT: A vital resource for anyone dealing with recent or current legislation, regulation, debate, or legislative history, containing as it does many of the most important legislative texts. Also useful for anyone seeking recent government publications, via its inclusion of a searchable copy of the Monthly Catalog. Of less importance, but still useful, are the inclusion of the famous Consumer Information catalog and the GPO subject bibliographies (a subset of the PRF). An impressive site, easy to use, containing genuinely valuable material and relatively powerful search tools.
SAMPLE SEARCH: All of my attempted searches produced real and useful results. Pursuing the "Civilian Marksmanship" program, for example, I was able to find a good deal of cantankerous debate over its funding in the Congressional Record, and a MOCAT record of an Army publication describing it: Promotion of practice with rifled arms : civilian marksmanship. 1994-. United States. Dept. of the Army. D101.9:920-20.
ADDRESSES:Main GPO Addresses:
