Using Government Publications: Searching by subject and agencies

Using Government Publications: Searching by Subject and Agencies, authored by Jean L. Sears and Marilyn K. Moody, was created as a foundational reference tool for librarians and researchers navigating the complex landscape of United States federal documents. Published in the late 1980s by Oryx Press, the text emerged during a period when government information was transitioning from traditional print-based distribution to the early stages of digital accessibility, necessitating a structured guide to demystify bureaucratic indexing systems.

The authors designed the volume to serve as a practical, pedagogical companion that categorized government materials by both subject matter and issuing agency. By focusing on the logic of departmental structure and the idiosyncrasies of the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, Sears and Moody sought to empower users to cut through administrative opacity. The work was well-received within the academic and professional library science community for its clarity and utilitarian focus, becoming a staple of bibliographic instruction in universities throughout the era.