Serial Set

Our Holdings

Michigan Tech has Serial Set volumes in 2 formats: microfiche and bound volumes. The library owns many of the bound volumes for the 15th to the 104th Congresses. These may be requested via the Circulation Desk. With the 96th Congress in 1979, we began receiving all Congressional publications in microfiche. Microfiche does not always arrive in a timely manner. Please check to see if it is available. All Serial Set information from the 104th Congress to today is available online. (see below chart for links)

A complete listing by U.S. Congress number is available

What is the Serial Set?

The U.S. Congressional Serial Set, or Serial Set, is a compilation of all congressional publications except for hearings and debates. The Serial Set consists of the following types of publications:

• House Documents
• House Reports
• Senate Documents
• Senate Reports
• Senate Treaty Documents
• Senate Executive Reports

Documents are publications printed to help congressional members make informed decisions on legislation. Reports concern the affairs of congressional committees. They are usually in-depth publications on the legislative and budgetary impact of a particular bill. They are important in determining the legislative intent of a law. Senate Treaty Documents contain the texts of treaties presented to the Senate for ratification. Senate Executive Reports are specialized reports on treaties or on presidential nominations of high officials.

While the current congress is in session, the Serial Set publications are issued as separate titles so the public has access to current congressional publications. At the end of the congressional session these publications are then bound together, indexed and added as numbered volumes of the Serial Setto help with historical research. Thus the first Serial Set volume as issued for the 15th congress in 1817. There are now over 13,000 volumes in the set. Publications pertaining to the 1st through 14th congresses (1789 - 1838) are published in the American State Papers, located on the Second Floor in the microfilm section Y 1.2:.

The arrangement of the bound Serial Set is by volume number. The volumes are numbered in order by Congressional session, Congressional chamber (House or Senate), publication type (report or document), and publication number. For example, Senate Report 101-236 is the 236th Senate Report issued during the 101st Congress.

The Serial Set is also available in the Library in microfiche format. Microfiche are located on the second floor in the microtext area. Microfiche may be photocopied. Early Serial Set volumes must be requested for at the circulation desk on the first floor. The newer Serial Set is also available through the GPOAccess web site. Reports (but not documents) are available online through Thomas.

Additional Resources

Cumulative Finding Aid, House and Senate Bills Annual Report

GP 3.28: Core Collection, Reference Collection
This supplement is good for searching information on bills.

GPO Monthly Catalog. 1900- 1976

ask Reference Staff for assistance with paper copy

The Government Printing Office (GPO) Monthly Catalog from 1900-1976 includes indexing for the Serial Set. You may also search the GPO Monthly Catalog using an electronic database found in our e-resources. The online version of the GPO Monthly Catalog includes indexing for the Serial Set. Searches may be conducted by: keyword, author, title, and report or document number. This electronic resource searches from the current congress back to the 104th congress (1995 - 1996).

Library Online Catalog

The library's catalog lists most Serial Set publications since 1998 that we have in the library in microfiche and/or paper. Not all records will indicate that an item is part of the Serial Set. Most records provide precise SuDocs numbers rather than Serial Set numbers.

Library Reference Staff

One of the greatest resources in finding out whether or not a particular document is in the Serial Set of if there is a Serial Set item on a particular subject are Michigan Tech's reference librarians. Our reference staff may be reached by: phone, e-mail, instant messenger or in person at the Library and IT Service Center on the first floor of the library.

Numerical List and Schedule of Volumes

GP 3.7/2: Core Collection, Reference Area.
This publication cross-references report and document numbers with Serial Set volume numbers. It was issued only for the years 1933 to 1980. Michigan Tech has the 91st through the 96 Congresses.

Serial Set Finding List

During the 19th century is was common for agency annual reports to be published in the Serial Set instead of published separately by the agency.  Thus, some early annual reports from agencies like the U.S. Geological Society and U.S. War Department are found in the Serial Set.  This finding aid provided by the College of Wooster allows individuals to brows the Serial Set by agency or SuDocs Class and then directs you to the correlating Serial Set volume.

Serial Set Index, 1789-1969

J74.C65. Index
This Congressional Informational Services index covers the 1st to the 91st Congress, including the American State Papers. Index is by subject and keyword. Supplementary finding aids include a numerical list of reports and documents, a schedule of Serial Set volumes, and an index to the cartographic material included in the Serial Set.

United States Congressional Serial Set Catalog, Numerical Lists and Schedule of Volumes (by year)

GP 3.34: Core Collection, Reference Collection
This supplement to the Monthly Catalog replaces the Numerical List and Schedule of Volumes. Each citation includes the report or document number and the Serial Set volume number. Indexed by author, title, subject, series number, SuDoc number, GPO stack number, and title keyword.Includes a short annotation of content.

University of Michigan Serial Set Digitization Project

The University of Michigan Library is currently digitizing Serial Set volumes. Links to their online version can be found by first going to the catalog record for the United States Serial Set.

The third line of the cataloging record is online links to individual volumes. Click on third line, it includes a list of all Serial Set volumes that have been digitized. If you see a link that says U-M online, than that entire volume is freely available for viewing. To read it, you must click on that link, rather then the Google online link, which often has only a summary of the document.