Description

This is a selection of research papers and briefs prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). The CRS is a department within the Library of Congress that works exclusively as a reference and research arm for Congress. They report on the wide range of topics that come before congress including: law, business and industry, education, welfare, environment, natural resources, foreign policy, and defense. The reports are received into our collection between nine and twelve months after CRS prepares them. The collection includes reports back to 1916, with most being written since 1979.

More timely access to selected CRS reports is available on the Internet from:

• Penny Hill Press
  http://pennyhill.com
  A comercial publisher that provides free access to a current index of CRS publications with the option to purchase reports found in the index.

Location

Congressional Research Service papers are available in the CAPEN Multimedia Center at call numbers:

MicFilm E 740.5 M31 (covers thru 1992)
       For the years up to 1974, reels are arranged by reel number. Starting with 1975, reels are arranged by year, by reel number.

MicFiche E 740.5 M31 (1993-present)
       Fiche are arranged by year, and within each year major reports, filed by CRS report number, are file first followed by issue briefs (identified by IB ) filed by CRS brief number.

Access

The individual titles in this collection are listed in the University Libraries Catalog. To look specifically for these publications, do a key word search (the default search) for the subject in which you are interested and include, congressional research.au.

For example
                                cuba and congressional research.au.

The call number will include information about the year, reel(for film), frame number(for film), and CRS report number (for fiche).

Additional access is available using the index, Major Studies & Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service CAPEN Multimedia Center Reference E 740.5 M31. This index is published quarterly. There is a cumulative volume for 1916-1989, with cumulative annual volumes published for each year starting with 1990. The index provides access by subject, names, agency, CRS report number, and title. The bibliographic entry for each title includes a brief abstract.