Libraries
Government/Legal Information & Maps
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Contact Information:
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About the Unit
Located on the 4th floor of the University Library on the campus of Western Illinois University, the Government/Legal & Maps Unit serves a student population of around 7,000, and a resident population from miles around that includes the 17th & 18th Congressional Districts. The unit comprises four libraries in one. Each distinct collection is described below. There is an office on level four (room 438) to guide wayward researchers. Please see our unit policies for additional information.
Federal Depository Library
A Federal Depository since 1962, the unit has been able to augment the collection with older documents when they've become available. Most items can be found through WestCat, the library catalog.
Illinois State Depository Library
An Illinois State Depository since 1962, the unit has been able to augment the collection with older documents when they've become available. Items can be found through WestCat, the library catalog.
Legal Reference Library
The Legal Reference Library is fast becoming electronic in nature due to the shift from law books to databases. Please use Legal Links as a guide to the resources available.
Map Collection
The Map Collection houses reference materials, books, and hundreds of thousands of maps.
Patent and Trademark Resource Center
The Unit is a Patent and Trademark Resource Center. Our mission is to provide one-on-one training and information to inventors and entrepreneurs in searching patents and trademarks as an initial step toward securing a patent or trademark.
Government/Legal Information Hours
Fall & Spring Semesters
- Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm, by appointment
- Saturday - Sunday, Closed
Break & Summer School Hours
- Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30 pm, by appointment
- Saturday - Sunday, Closed
Faculty & Staff
- Michael Lorenzen
- Interim Unit Coordinator
- PTRC Representative
- Andrea Francis
- Library Operations Associate
- Interim Federal Depository Library Coordinator
Address & Phone - Map
- Address
- Western Illinois University Library
- Government/Legal Information Unit
- 1 University Circle
- Macomb, IL 61455
- Phone
- For Government/Legal Information: 309-298-2722
- For general Library information: 309-298-2705
Starting Points for Researching Government and Legal Information:
Top Six
- Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
- Search the official catalog of government publications.
- Core U.S. Government Resources
- These resources are vital sources of information about the workings and essential activities of the U.S. Government.
- Congressional Budget Office
- Search the CBO website to find reports on how government programs and legislation affect the federal budget.
- CQ Researcher Online
- CQ Researcher, a privately published periodical, prepares reports on all kinds of controversial topics, often including a history of congressional activity.
- Government Accountability Office
- The GAO is an important agency that monitors and analyzes government programs for effectiveness, fraud and abuse.
- CRS Reports
- Congressional Research Service Reports can be found several places on the web. Search or browse over 5000 CRS Reports at Congress.gov. Search CRS Reports from the Federation of American Scientists. Topics include (but are not limited to) terrorism, intellectual property, cyberlaw, national security, health policy, and environmental policy. Search security and law enforcement related CRS reports at the Homeland Security Digital Library. A new database of current CRS Reports, Every CRS Report
- is another one to try.
- USA.gov
- The official search portal for online government information. Also try the Advanced Search.
Search Engines
- Google and StartPage
- To use these search engines to search for government information, type in the search box "site:gov" and your search terms.
Some examples:
- site:gov secondhand smoke
- site:mil naval history
Other Important Sites for Government Information
- American State Papers
- Search early Congressional documents, 1789-1838.
- Electronic Documents of Illinois
- Use this gateway to digitized Illinois publications.
- GovInfo.Gov
- The official portal to online government documents from the Government Printing Office.
- Federal Agency Websites
- Go directly to the source! Most agencies provide data and reports on their websites. This is a good strategy if you know who does what in government.
- Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
- This index to U.S. place names can be used to identify the name of the topographic map that shows the feature or location.
- Illinois State Agency Websites
- Use state agency websites to interact with state government or find statistics or information for business.
- Nexis Uni
- Use this database to find congressional and legal information.
- NCJRS
- Use this database for law enforcement information and statistics.
- U.S. Congressional Serial Set
- Use this database for primary source material, such as congressional documents and reports, 1817-1980.
- U.S. Congressional Serial Set Maps
- This database has reproductions of maps that accompanied congressional reports, 1817-1980.
- WestCat
- Search the library catalog for government publications held at WIU or across the state of Illinois. Government Publications come in a variety of formats, including web-accessible electronic titles.
- WorldCat
- Search government publications in the international library catalog for items we may not have here at WIU, then request them through Interlibrary Loan.
Links to subject guides created by the Gov/Pub staff arranged in alphabetical order:
Subject Guides
- FDLP LibGuides
- Abortion
- Adoption
- Advertising and the Law
- Affirmative Action
- Agriculture
- AIDS
- Alcohol and Related Problems on Campus
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Alternative Medicine
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Animal Research and Humane Care
- Asset Forfeiture
- Aviation Safety
- Capital Punishment
- Censorship - Nonpolitical
- Censorship - Political
- Child Abuse
- Child Care
- Children and Television
- Citizenship & Immigration Services
- Cloning
- Confined Animal Feeding Operations
- Cookbooks
- Cuban Missile Crisis
- Cybercrime
- DNA
- DNA Testing of Criminals
- Domestic Violence
- Drinking and Driving
- Drone Warfare
- Drug Legalization
- Drug Testing
- Earthquakes (Illinois)
- Eating Disorders
- Elder Abuse
- Electronic Surveillance
- Endangered Species and Wildlife Conservation
- Euthanasia
- Federalism
- Financial Crisis
- Flag Desecration
- Gangs
- Global Warming
- Gulf War Illness
- Gun Control
- Hate Crimes
- Hazardous Waste Disposal
- Health Care Reform
- Homelessness
- Home schooling
- Homosexuals in the Military
- Intellectual Property
- JFK Assassination
- Juvenile Justice
- Korean War
- Learning Disabilities
- Literacy
- Methamphetamine
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Operation Desert Shield/Storm
- Police Misconduct
- Pornography
- Prison Reform
- POW and MIAs
- Problems of Adolescence
- Product Liability
- Rape
- Reproductive Technology
- Same-Sex Marriage
- School Prayer
- School Violence
- Seat Belts
- Sexual Harrassment in Education
- Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace
- Sexual Orientation Discrimination
- Small Business
- Space Exploration
- Terrorism
- Tobacco
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
- Vietnam War
- Violence in Mass Media
- Welfare Reform
- Women in Business
- World War I
- World War II
Legal Research Using Nexis Uni
The Nexis Uni database provides access to a host of sources which link to each other within the database. For more information, ask at the Reference Desk on Level 2.
Legal Resources in Nexis Uni:
- American Jurisprudence 2d
- This legal encyclopedia is a good place to start your research as it links to laws, regulations and cases.
- Illinois Jurisprudence
- Similar material as above for the state of Illinois.
- Federal Court Cases
- Includes reported and unreported cases.
- Bankruptcy Court Cases
- Bankruptcy cases are reported in the Bankruptcy Reporter and are not included in the federal court case search. Access these through by browsing /Cases/United States/Bankruptcy & Insolvency Law.
- Military Law Cases
- Military cases are not included in the federal court case search. Access these through the Advanced Options button below the Federal and State Cases query field.
- U.S. Code Service
- The USCS is an annotated version of the U.S. Code - federal statutes organized in a subject arrangement - which means that each section contains links to pertinent law reviews, cases, laws, an legal analysis.
- Code of Federal Regulations
- Regulations written by federal agencies. Searchable only.
- Federal Register
- Search for proposed federal agency regulations and final rules.
- Law Journals (many hundreds)
- Law journal articles are also a great way to start your research on just about any legal topic.
- State Court Cases
- Law cases from all 50 states.
- State Laws (all states)
- Search or browse the current state codes.
- State Laws Annotated (all states)
- Search or browse the current state codes and link to cases interpreting the state laws.
- State Administrative Codes (all states)
- Search or browse state agency regulations.
- State Registers
- Proposed and finals rules (regulations). Searchable only.
- US Supreme Court Digest, Lawyers' Edition
- This is a digest of Supreme Court Opinions by topic.
- Treatises and Analytical Material
- There are a few things here through the Browse feature.
Get Help
Please contact or visit the Government/Legal Information office for further assistance. We can answer questions, provide instruction in how to access and use resources (both electronic and print), and refer you to other helpful contacts.
Contact Information:
Online Form
Phone
(309) 298-2722
Gov/Legal Info office hours:
-
- Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm
- Saturday - Sunday, Closed
Location
Malpass Library (4th level)
Ask a Librarian
Browse by Topic
- FDLP LibGuides
- Abortion
- Adoption
- Advertising and the Law
- Affirmative Action
- Agriculture
- AIDS
- Alcohol and Related Problems on Campus
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Alternative Medicine
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Animal Research and Humane Care
- Asset Forfeiture
- Aviation Safety
- Capital Punishment
- Censorship - Nonpolitical
- Censorship - Political
- Child Abuse
- Child Care
- Children and Television
- Citizenship & Immigration Services
- Cloning
- Confined Animal Feeding Operations
- Cookbooks
- Cuban Missile Crisis
- Cybercrime
- DNA
- DNA Testing of Criminals
- Domestic Violence
- Drinking and Driving
- Drone Warfare
- Drug Legalization
- Drug Testing
- Earthquakes (Illinois)
- Eating Disorders
- Elder Abuse
- Electronic Surveillance
- Endangered Species and Wildlife Conservation
- Euthanasia
- Federalism
- Financial Crisis
- Flag Desecration
- Gangs
- Global Warming
- Gulf War Illness
- Gun Control
- Hate Crimes
- Hazardous Waste Disposal
- Health Care Reform
- Homelessness
- Home schooling
- Homosexuals in the Military
- Intellectual Property
- JFK Assassination
- Juvenile Justice
- Korean War
- Learning Disabilities
- Literacy
- Methamphetamine
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Operation Desert Shield/Storm
- Police Misconduct
- Pornography
- Prison Reform
- POW and MIAs
- Problems of Adolescence
- Product Liability
- Rape
- Reproductive Technology
- Same-Sex Marriage
- School Prayer
- School Violence
- Seat Belts
- Sexual Harrassment in Education
- Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace
- Sexual Orientation Discrimination
- Small Business
- Space Exploration
- Terrorism
- Tobacco
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
- Vietnam War
- Violence in Mass Media
- Welfare Reform
- Women in Business
- World War I
- World War II
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