Official Records

Official records are composed of the minutes or summaries of meetings of the main organs and their committees, annual reports submitted, resolutions, decisions, and votes.

Various Official Records are available online via: Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) and the United Nations Digital Library.  This guide describes the online coverage:  https://research.un.org/en/docs/. Documents may also be available in the HeinOnline UN Law Collection.

For documents not available online or for paper editions of these documents please consult these documents (housed on Level D Lamont)

General Assembly, 1946 +  
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.7

Security Council, 1946+
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.10

Economic and Social Council, 1946+
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.25

Trusteeship Council, 1947+
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.20

Masthead Documents

All other UN documents, reports, etc. (i.e. most UN working documents, with titles frequently beginning with "letter", "report", "memorandum", etc.), so-called masthead documents, previously issued only in paper format, are now available online. For current material in electronic format consult: Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) and the United Nations Digital Library. 

Documents in Microform

Micropublished documents are another source of masthead documents. Even documents which are maintained in bound sets may also be replicated in these collections. Please be aware that these microform editions are filed by the year the micropublisher has made the document available. Therefore, there may be instances when various volumes of a report, or addenda, corrections or revisions may appear in the file a year or several years later.

  • 1946-1980
    Location: Documents (Lamont) Microprint 5 (by year and UN symbol) (Level D)
  • 1981+
    Location: Documents (Lamont) Microfiche S 377 (by year and UN symbol) (Level

Resolutions

Resolutions are formal expressions of opinion or directives of the United Nations bodies. The General Assembly or the Security Council resolutions, in particular, are often sought. Although electronic versions are very timely and convenient, there is sometimes a need to use the print editions, particularly for authentication.

Electronic

Print

Resolutions in paper can be found in the Supplements to the Official Records, for each of the four major organs:

General Assembly, 1946+  
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.7.5 (Level D)

Security Council, 1946+
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.10.5 (Level D)

Economic and Social Council, 1946+
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.25.5 (Level D)

Trusteeship Council, 1947+
Location: Documents (Lamont) UN 54.20.5 (Level D)

Starting with the 54th session, the Official Records version of General Assembly resolutions are presented in an enhanced format. For each resolution the following information is included: symbol of the draft resolution (or Main Committee report), list of sponsors and summary of action taken. Detailed voting information is contained in a new Annex: "Recorded votes by resolution".

Resolutions in compilations

The historic resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council have also been published in compilations:

Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly. 1946/48-1985/86
Location: Documents (Lamont) Doc Ref JX 1977.A3155 D57 (Level B)

Resolutions and Decisions of the Security Council. 1946/47-1978/79
Location: Documents (Lamont) Doc Ref JX 1977.A515 (Level B)