UNCW - Randall Library - Topic Guides

Superintendent of Documents Classification System
As a Federal Depository Library, Randall Library receives many publications issued by agencies of the U.S. Government. These publications, which may include books, maps, posters, pamphlets, and periodicals, contain information on careers, business opportunities, space exploration, health and nutrition, energy, and many other subjects.

Federal Government publications in this collection are arranged by the Superintendent of Documents classification number. Publications are grouped together by issuing agency. To ensure that you find all of the materials available on a particular subject, be sure to check the indexes recommended by library staff. Some materials are distributed to Depository Libraries in formats other than paper, i.e., microfiche, or CD-ROM.

The example below shows how the Superintendent of Documents classification number C 61.34:987 is constructed for the publication U.S. Industrial Outlook:

C	61.	34:	987
Commerce Department (issuing agency)	International Trade Administration (subordinate bureau within the agency)	Number designating the title	Year of Publication (1987)

Here are the prefixes from the Superintendent of Documents classification numbers for some other agencies that you may be interested in:

A	Agriculture Department
C 3	Census Bureau (Commerce Department)
D	Defense Department
E	Energy Department
ED	Education Department
GA	General Accounting Office
GS	General Services Administration
HE	Health and Human Services Department
I	Interior Department
I 19	U.S. Geological Survey (Interior Department)
J	Justice Department
Ju	Judiciary
L	Labor Department
LC	Library of Congress
NAS	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
S	State Department
SI	Smithsonian Institution
T 22	Internal Revenue Service (Treasury Department)
X, Y	Congress
Y 4.	Congressional Committees

Library staff will be happy to provide you with the prefixes for any Government agency and any other information that can help you find the materials you want. Most U.S. Government publications published since 1990 are searchable in the