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| As the legally designated depository library for Massachusetts state publications, the State Library has the most complete collection of Massachusetts government documents in existence. The library is also a selective depository of federal government documents, and has an extensive collection of Massachusetts municipal reports. Below is a summary of the important resources in our government documents collection. |
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| Federal Documents |
The State Library has participated for over 100 years in the Federal Depository Library Program, established by U.S. Congress and administered through the Government Printing Office. This program provides the public with free access to government publications.
As a selective depository, the library's federal documents collection reflects the general subject strengths of our overall collection, and contains numerous documents in areas such as Census, U.S. Congress, the Justice Department, laws and regulations, as well as other information.
The library's holdings include:
- Congressional Record: Official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. The library has the Congressional Record from 1873-74 (43rd Congress) to date. Available online from 1994 to date.
- U.S. Code: The United States Code is the codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. The library has editions from 1946 to date. The 1994 through 2000 editions (plus supplements) are also available online.
- Code of Federal Regulations: The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. The library carries the last three years the CFR. Online version dates back to 1996.
- Federal Register: Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. The library has the federal register from 1940's to date. The online version is available from 1994 to date.
- Federal Census information: Dating to the first federal census in 1790; featuring CD-ROMs, DVDs, and maps.
- US Congressional Serial Set: The United States Congressional Serial Set, as it is known today, comprises the numbered Senate and House Documents and House Reports, which are bound by Congress. The library has this set from 1817 to date.
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| State Documents |
The State Library holds the most complete collection of Massachusetts state publications in existence, dating to the inception of the library in 1826, with some earlier materials also available. Legislative, executive, and judicial documents are part of the library's collection as well as publications from commissions, authorities and other agencies of Massachusetts government.
Chapter 412 of the Acts of 1984 (GLM chapter 6, section 39B) created the depository program for Massachusetts. The law requires all state agencies to deposit with the library eight copies of their documents. Of the eight, two copies are to be cataloged and added to the library's permanent collection so that libraries across the U.S. have access to Massachusetts publications. The following libraries also serve as document depositories:
In addition to the state depositories the Library of Congress receives a set of our documents. The State Library has produced a checklist of state documents since July 1975. This checklist provides a listing of those publications received at the State Library. The checklist is issued semi annually, and sold in the State House Bookstore.
SOME of the state documents in our collection include:
- Charter school applications and annual reports
- Reports of the State Auditor
- Annual Reports and other reports from state agencies
- General Laws of Massachusetts
- Acts and Resolves
- Election Statistics (Public Document 43)
- Code of Massachusetts Regulations
- House and Senate Bills
- House and Senate Journals
- Bond Issues promulgated by the State Treasurer
- Report of the Attorney General (Public Document 12)
Since July 1975 the library has microfilmed all Massachusetts documents received in its collection. All state documents in the Library are cataloged via the OCLC online bibliographic database. The library's holdings symbol is MAS. Since 1978 state documents may be accessed through the State Library's Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).
Many state documents are now published solely in electronic form. The State Library is in the process of permanently preserving and providing access to these resources. |
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| Local Documents |
The Library collects annual reports of Massachusetts towns pursuant to its authority set out in Massachusetts General Laws chapter 40, sections 49 and 50. This is a large collection dating back to the nineteenth century.
Search the town reports database to see which annual reports the library holds.
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