Tips for Searching the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications Thomas A. Downing, Chief Cataloging Branch Library Programs Service, USGPO Depository Library Council Mobile, Alabama April 22, 2002 The CGP in Brief * Created in 1995 * Uses WAIS software * Does not have the same architecture as library OPAC modules in ILSs * Consists of records produced since 1994 * Current to 2-3 days of production in OCLC * More than 18,500 records with PURLs * Accessed 500,000+ time per year GPO: National Authority for Cataloging U.S. Federal Documents Bibliographic standards: • Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2d ed. • Library of Congress Rule Interpretations • MARC 21 • CONSER • OCLC's Bibliographic Formats and Standards, 2d ed. • GPO Cataloging Guidelines CGP Bibliographic Records * Produced to national standards * Reflect evolving standards and local practices for cataloging online resources * Reflect inconsistent application of prescribed practices * Contain typos * May have duplicate entries CGP Search Forms * Keyword & Keyword (online titles) * Title * SuDoc class number * Depository item number * GPO stock number * Publication date * Cataloging date * Multiple field search Search Tip #1: Use the Keyword search Search Tip #2: Use strategies from other forms Search Tip #3: Elements that produce useful results * Key words * Subject headings * Titles * Series * Publication date * Cataloging date * Class number * OCLC number Search Tip #4: Avoid using certain words * Stop words • an, and, as, for, from, nor, or, the, to * United States, US * Congress * Washington * GPO Search Tip #5: Searching "EL Only" titles * PURL AND [electronic resource] * PURL AND [computer file] * Combine above with other elements • e.g., cataloging date, subject, agency * Phrases used in note fields may yield good results • e.g., "no longer distributed" * Beware of result number limitations Search Tip #6: Remember more common practices * Use Boolean operators * Use quotation marks for phrase searching * Use multiple search elements * Follow initial keyword search with more specific LCSH search * Beware of result number limitations * Consult "Helpful Hints" page Going for Precision ... LCSH from the MARC Record "Internet in Education" Follow-up http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS18550 http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/pubs/rb/rb_srs055.pdf The CGP is not perfect, but ... * It gets results * LPS has learned from the CGP experience * It is now an interim product as we plan for an ILS with an OPAC module Questions or Comments ... Tad Downing tdowning@gpo.gov