Southern Illinois University Carbondale
The Smithsonian provides some of the best resources for ethnographers. The (now defunct) Bureau of American Ethnology (BAE) was part of the Smithsonian and provides many monographs and bulletins related to anthropology. Some of the monographs will be in the library’s catalog, and many are included in anthropology- or Native American Studies-related databases. There is also an index volume for BAE reports.
Bureau of American Ethnology Publications
Call numbers: SI 2.1: (Annual Reports); SI 2.3 (Bulletins), Government Documents, 3rd Floor
List of Publications of the Bureau of American Ethnology : with Index to Authors and Titles.
SCRC, 1st floor. Non circulating. OCL4514 for 1910 version, OCL5366 for 1915 version, Special Collections (non-circulating), 1st Floor;
Bureau of Ethnology Bulletin 200. (End of Series) A great index for all BAE publications.
This is a complete listing of Bureau of American Ethnology publications from 1877 to 1971. It includes Annual reports, Bulletins, Contributions to North American Ethnology, Publications of the Institute of Social Anthropology, and miscellaneous publications. Material included in this bibliography available in Government Information.
Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology
Call number: online full text document. Access through IShare@Morris.
A monographic series published irregularly. It continues Bulletin (Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology)
Handbook of North American Indians
Call number: SI 1.20/2: Government Documents, 3rd Floor
"A 20-volume set planned to give an encyclopedic summary of what is known about the prehistory, history, and cultures of the aboriginal peoples of North America who lived north of the urban civilizations of central Mexico."
Serial Set, American State Papers, and Other Congressional Publications
The Serial Set was one of the earliest means of distributing federal government information to citizens. The Serial Set includes Congressional documents (bills, reports, special investigations) and many 19th and early 20th century executive documents (special and annual reports) that were ordered by Congress to be printed.
Library of Congress
American Memory Collection
URL: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/
The Library of Congress is building an extensive digital library collection. The American Memory collection includes a wide variety of materials: photographs, correspondence, manuscripts, sound recordings, motion pictures, etc. Folklife materials are included in this digital collection.
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
NARA Archival Research Catalog
The online catalog of NARA's nationwide holdings in the Washington, DC area, Regional Archives and Presidential Libraries. You can perform a keyword, digitized image and location search. ARC's advanced functionalities also allow you to search by organization, person, or topic.
Census Bureau Materials
Typically, the U.S. Decennial Census is a good way to get a statistical overview of an area; however, the Census Bureau also collects statistics at other times and on other subjects than demography.
Statistical Abstract of the United States (1878-present) and Historical Statistics of the United States
URL: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/past_years.html
“The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.” The Statistical Abstract is one of the best places to start your search for statistics.
Click the title to access the government documents research guide on American Indiana.
General Land Office Records & Maps
The Bureau of Land Management has created a Federal Land Patents Database that allows you to search for General Land Office grants issued between 1820 and 1908. You can perform a basic search, where you can search by state and patentee name, or a standard search, where you can search by patentee name, by a particular location (described by county, section, township, range, etc.), or by date and land office.
There are several print indexes that warrant checking because they cover items that may not be cataloged anywhere else – library online catalogs, databases, Internet - yet.
Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications and Catalog of Government Publications (CGP)
Call number: GP 3.8:/8 (1895-) ; Government Documents Reference, 3rd Floor
URL: http://catalog.gpo.gov (1976-present)
The Monthly Catalog/CGP was the main index to the publications of the U.S. Government and a good indicator of what materials were sent to depository libraries. This series lists the call number necessary to find the publications on the shelves.
Cumulative Title Index to United States public documents, 1789-1976
Call number: Q. 353.016 C971; Government Documents Reference, 3rd Floor
This index provides the call numbers for historical publications.
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Government Publications of the United States, Sept. 5, 1774-March 4, 1881 (Poore’s Index)
Call number: Q. 015.73 P832D; Dewey Books Collection, Basement
Structured chronologically, and includes an index.
