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Library Resources For Political Science

Databases
  • EBSCO Academic Search Premier - A multidisciplinary database with many full-text articles. For scholarly articles select the limiting feature, "Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journals".
  • JSTOR - Provides past full text of major political science journals
  • LexisNexis Academic - A full text database providing access to newspapers and magazines.
  • National Journal Policy Central - A comprehensive resource on policy and politics for the academic community. Includes National Journal, Hotline, CongressDaily, Technology Daily, Almanac of American Politics, Markup Reports and Bill Status, Ad Spotlight and Poll Track.
  • Project Muse - Offers the full text of nearly 250 journal titles from 40 scholarly publishers in the fields of literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, gender studies, economics, and many others.
  • Prospector - A unified catalog of 16 academic, public, and special libraries in Colorado and Wyoming. Identify books in other libraries, request them, and have them delivered to the CSU library.
  • Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS)- Indexes books, magazines, journals, and government publications pertaining to policy issues.
  • Social Sciences Abstracts- Indexes core journals in the social sciences, including political science.
  • WorldCat - An international bibliographic database that is excellent for verifying information on books
    and serial titles. Two very useful options include the ability to see a list of the libraries which own a
    particular title and the ability to enter an interlibrary loan request for an item without exiting the database.
Print Indexes and Abstracts
  • ABC Pol Sci Z7161 .A214 Ref
    A table of contents index to journals in the field of political science.
  • International Political Science Abstracts JA36 .I5 Ref
    Provides access to journal literature abroad as well as in the United States.
Web Sites Print Sources for Current Laws/Bills
  • Congressional Bills. Y1.4...Doc Microfiche
    Text of bills for current and past Congresses.
  • Congressional Record. X...Doc
    Debates and proceedings on a daily basis.
  • Public Law.... AE2.110...Law/Tax
    These "slip laws" update the U. S. Statutes at Large for the current session.
  • United States Code Annotated. KF62 1927 .W453 Law/Tax
    A codification of all federal laws currently in force.
  • U.S. Statutes at Large. AE2.111... Law/Tax
    Laws of the U.S. from the first Congress to the present.

    Print Sources for Past Federal Legislation and Documents
  • Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Documents Publications
    GP3.8 Doc Ref
    A paper index to federal documents published since 1895.
  • Checklist of U.S. Public Documents, 1789-1909
    Z1223 .A112 1962 Ref
    A listing of publications of federal agencies. No index.
  • United States Congressional Serial Set. In storage.
    Includes committee and special reports, and miscellaneous documents back to 1789.
  • U. S. Serial Set Index. Y1.9 Index Doc Ref
    Indexes the time frame 1789-1969.
  • U.S. Congressional Committee Prints Index. Y1.9/2 Doc Ref
    Indexing through 1969.


    Print Sources for Background on Congress
  • Almanac of American Politics. JK1012 .A44 Ref Desk
    Annual information on members of Congress, districts, and states.
  • Politics in America. JK1010 .P64 Ref Desk
    Annual information on members of Congress and their districts.
  • Congress and the Nation. KF49 .C653 Ref
  • Congressional Quarterly Almanac. JK1 .C66 Ref
  • CQ Weekly Report. JK1 .C15 Ref
    Among them, the three publications above cover Congress and political issues from 1945 to the present.
  • National Journal. JK1 .N3 Ref
    In-depth treatment of current political issues.


    Print Sources for State and Local Government
  • Book of the States. JK2403 .B6 Ref
    Annual information on all aspects of state government.
  • Encyclopedia of the American Legislative System.
    JF501 .E53 1994 Ref
    This three volume set has in-depth articles on legislatures in general.
  • National Survey of State Laws. KF386 .N38 Ref
    Summarizes state laws in 43 areas of interest, with reference to code sections.
  • State Constitutional Law. KF4550 .Z95M28 1988 Ref
    Good overview of the topic.
  • State Constitutions of the United States. KF4530 .M33 1998 Ref
    Summarizes state constitutions in major subject areas.
  • Constitutions of the United States: National and State.
    KF4530 .C64 Ref
  • State Legislative Source Book. JK2495 .S689 Ref
    An annual publication describing resources for tracking legislative action.
  • State Reference Publications. JK2408 .S83 Ref
    An annual resource describing official publications of each state government.
  • Municipal Year Book. JS334 .C5A24 Ref
    An annual publication with statistics, essays, and directories.


    Other Print Sources
  • American Justice. 3 volumes. KF154 .A44 1996 Ref
    Introductory information on all aspects of the justice system.
  • American Political Dictionary. JK9 .P55 1993 Ref
    A standard source for definitions pertinent to the American political system.
  • American Political Scientists. JA61 .A525 1993 Ref
    Profiles nearly 200 noteworthy political scientists.
  • Congressional Quarterly’s Guide to the U.S. Supreme Court. 2 volumes. KF8742 .W567 1997 Ref
    Detailed overview of the Supreme Court.
  • Encyclopedia of American Government. 4 volumes.
    JK9 .E52 1998 Ref
    Introductory information on all levels and components of American government.
  • Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. 4 volumes.
    KF4548 .E53 1986 Ref
    Lengthy articles on the Constitution, its amendments, court cases, and the like.
  • Encyclopedia of the American Judicial System. 3 volumes.
    KF154 .E53 1987 Ref
    A detailed introduction to the topic.
  • Encyclopedia of the American Legislative System. 3 volumes.
    JF501 .E53 1994 Ref
    Discusses both federal and state legislatures and legislative topics.
  • Encyclopedia of the American Presidency. 4 volumes.
    JK511 .E53 1994 Ref
    A thorough introduction to both historic and contemporary issues.
  • Encyclopedia of the United States Congress. 4 volumes.
    JK1067 .E63 1995 Ref
    Covers past and present issues, institutions, controversies, legislation, and individuals.
  • New Handbook of Political Science. JA66 .N49 1996 Ref
    A state-of-the-art look at the political science discipline. Includes useful bibliographies.
  • Social Sciences: A Cross-Disciplinary Guide…. Z7161 .S648 1996 Ref
    Includes a chapter that describes basic sources for the field of political science.
  • Survey of Social Science: Government and Politics Series. 5 volumes.
    JA61 .S88 1995 Ref
    Helpful introductory articles on all aspects of political systems past and present.
  • World Encyclopedia of Parliaments and Legislatures. 2 volumes.
    JF511 .W67 1998 Ref
    Arranged by nation. Useful summaries of constitutions, elections, and political structures.