GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

REFERENCE COLLECTION - for short summaries

JK – American Political Systems

Sample Titles:

The Facts on File Dictionary of American Politics. REF JK9.H54 2001
Congressional Quarterly’s Desk Reference on American Government. REF JK274.W449 2000

Easy-to-understand answers to 600 frequently asked questions about the U.S. Presidency, Congress, Campaigns and Elections, Supreme Court, Constitution, Finances, War and Scandals.
Encyclopedia of American Political History. REF JK9.E48 2001

Begins with descriptive timeline of political events in U.S. history, followed by 240 individual articles of 1 column to 3 pages in length. Includes all presidents through Clinton, political parties, constitutional amendments, major events and issues. Appendix: Dictionary of abbreviations used by American historians.
States’ Rights and American Federalism: A documentary history. REF JK311.S73 1999

Copies of original documents related to the topic, beginning with the Mayflower Compact of 1620.

U.S. Federal Government

Sample Titles:

U.S. Government Manual. REF JK421.A3 Updated Annually

Directory information and description of functions of the U.S. federal executive, legislative and judicial branches and their agencies

Congressional Quarterly Almanac. REF JK1.C66 Updated Annually

Summarizes the executive, congressional and judicial events of the prior year. Updated bi-annually by the C.Q. Guide to Current American Government REF JK1.C14.

Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections. REF JK9.B56 1999

Elections A to Z. REF JK1976.M57 2003

Congress A to Z. REF JK1021.C554 2003

The Presidency A to Z. REF JK511.P775 2003

U.S. State and Local Government

Sample Titles:

The Book of States. REF JK2403.B6 Updated Annually

Tables compare the 50 U.S. states in areas such as: Constitutions, Officers, Legislature, Judiciary, Finances, Management, Personnel, Regulatory activities, Air Quality, Economic development, Gaming (gambling), Health Care and Information Technology.

Consolidated Plan for the City of El Paso. REF F394E4C666 Updated Annually

E - U.S. Political History

This is also the area where you will find information on the history of the civil rights movement and the history of minorities in the U.S., especially in E184 – 185.9

Sample Titles:

American Historical Images on File: Key issues in Constitutional history. REF E.178.5.K49 1988

Reproducible illustrations of 275 events related to key constitutional issues.

Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy. REF E183.7.E52 2002 Vols. 1 - 3

African Americans and Political Participation: A reference handbook. REF E185.A2538 2003

K – Law, Constitution, Supreme Court

Sample Titles:

El Paso Municipal Code. REF KFX1407.E45E451 Vol. 1-2

American Treaties and Alliances. REF KZ236.A43 2000

Lists treaties, conventions, declarations and agreements from 1620 to 1999, which were important to U.S. history and foreign relations.

Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. REF KF4548.E53 2000 Vol. 1-6

Constitutions of the World. REF K3165.M33 2008

The Supreme Court A to Z. REF KF8742.A35S8 2003

Human Rights in the United States: A dictionary and documents. REF KF4747.50C37 2000 Vol. 1 -2

ONLINE CATALOG

to find books, videos, D.V.D.s, C.D.s & cassettes to check-out

AUTHOR SEARCH

For works BY a politician. For example:

adams, john

SUBJECT SEARCH

For works ABOUT a politician. For example:

jefferson, thomas

For works about the U.S. federal government or an individual state. For example:

United States – politics and government

Texas – politics and government

For works about a concept, event or political movement. For example:

democracy

state rights

new deal

women, suffrage

mexican-americans–political activity

Search Tip: If you do not find your concept, movement or event using a SUBJECT SEARCH, try it again using a KEYWORD SEARCH.

ONLINE DATABASES

to find articles & chapters of books to print, save, or email

Search the Online Article Databases http://www.epcc.edu/vvlib/vvonline.htm for newspaper, magazine, journal articles and chapters from books. The databases are available from any Internet computer in the E.P.C.C. libraries or computer labs. If you are not on campus, click on Off-Campus Log-in.

SIRS Government Reporter

Provides the full-text of both:

1. U.S government documents - these are agency reports, newspapers, magazines, and research studies funded and published by U.S. government agencies.

2. Articles from newspapers and magazines about the U.S. government