United Nations Documents

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Introduction

Harvard College Library's Government Information Services are housed in Lamont Library. The publications housed here include the United Nations depository collection, which consists of official documents, annual reports, statistics, conference reports, periodicals, and monographs. These may be geared for the general public as well as the scholar. The following guide lists some of the most useful research tools related to United Nations material received on deposit or supplemented by purchase or available online. It also suggests some research strategies when approaching this collection and online resources.

For researchers new to United Nations documentation, the United Nations Documentation: Research Guide may prove useful. It provides an overview of the various types of documents and publications issued by the Organization and is a good place to start for current research, as it includes a listing of what topics are being discussed at the current and next session of the General Assembly and the Security Council. The Directory of Organizations within the UN System and the Directory of UN Online Resources may also be helpful.

Some Research Strategies

When general or preliminary information is needed, consult the section on Background Material in this guide.

For additional bibliographic information consult the Indexes list in this guide.

When a periodical or series title is known, consult HOLLIS Catalog by title.

For a publication with a known title and/or author, (Known as Sales publications, these can be monographs, yearbooks, or titles in a series) consult: HOLLIS Catalog by author or title, being sure to search by series title as well.

E-mail govdocs@fas.harvard.edu