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Official Publications: Welcome

Official Publications at Queen's

A wide range of official publications is available to researchers at Queen's, both in print and online. 

The McClay Library, has a print archive of official publications. This collection consists chiefly of British Parliamentary Papers, and acts as a repository for Northern Ireland official publications. In addition, it holds published output from the governments of the Republic of Ireland and Canada and a number of international bodies including the United Nations and a range of its specialist agencies.

Details of all these official publications are contained in the Library Catalogue. With the formal move to electronic format most of the official publications produced are available online for which there are a number of databases. 

This guide is an introduction to the print collections and explains how to find the materials held in both print and e-formats. 

What are Official Publications?

An official publication is one produced or issued by an official body. Official bodies include legislatures, central government and agencies, courts or judiciaries and any official bodies established by these entities which facilitate links with the main body through direct funding, reporting mechanisms or accountability. Source: National Funding for Educational Research

The Definition of Official Publiations by Eve Johansson published in IFLA Journal Volume: 8 issue: 4, page(s): 393-395 provides a more detailed explanation.

Contact and Enquiries

Staff can help you trace online sources of official publications.  

Enquiries can also be made via phone (028 9097 6347) and email. For in depth enquiries, please allow additional time so we may reply in full.

Accessing the collections

QUB Library members have regular access to the collections and databases under their access permissions. Members of the public and other visitors can request access to the collections by applying for a visitor pass.

Borrowing

All official publications held in the Library are available for consultation. Those titles which contain a barcode on the title page may be borrowed by QUB Library members.