using the un website to find united nations documents dan baker, o’quinn law library swall annual...

Using the UN WebsiteUsing the UN Websiteto Find Unitedto Find United

Nations DocumentsNations Documents

Dan Baker, O’Quinn Law Dan Baker, O’Quinn Law LibraryLibrary

SWALL Annual Meeting SWALL Annual Meeting

March 29, 2012March 29, 2012

United Nations MaterialsUnited Nations Materials

UN DocumentsUN Documents ““a text submitted to a principal organ or a a text submitted to a principal organ or a

subsidiary organ of the United Nations [or subsidiary organ of the United Nations [or major UN conferences] for consideration by it, major UN conferences] for consideration by it, usually in connection with item(s) on its usually in connection with item(s) on its agenda”agenda”

UN PublicationsUN Publications ““any written material which is issued by or for any written material which is issued by or for

the United Nations to the general public”the United Nations to the general public” UN Documents ≠ UN PublicationsUN Documents ≠ UN Publications

Two Types of UN PublicationsTwo Types of UN Publications

UN Sales PublicationsUN Sales Publications General interest, offered for sale to publicGeneral interest, offered for sale to public

UN Press ReleasesUN Press Releases Informational announcementsInformational announcements

UN Pubs may reprint UN DocsUN Pubs may reprint UN Docs Compiled in Sales PubsCompiled in Sales Pubs Contained in PRs after conclusion of Contained in PRs after conclusion of

meeting but before publication of official meeting but before publication of official report report

How to Tell UN Docs from UN PubsHow to Tell UN Docs from UN Pubs

Different “Symbols” (Numbers, Different “Symbols” (Numbers, Citations)Citations)

Examples:Examples: UN Doc: E/CN.4/2005/44/Add.1UN Doc: E/CN.4/2005/44/Add.1

Elements before Session or Year are entitiesElements before Session or Year are entities UN Sales Pub: E.09.XVII.8UN Sales Pub: E.09.XVII.8

Two-digit Year followed by Roman NumeralsTwo-digit Year followed by Roman Numerals Roman numeral is the Roman numeral is the Sales Publication Category

UN Press Release: GA/DIS/3384 No Year or Session provided in number

Two Types of UN DocumentsTwo Types of UN Documents

Official RecordsOfficial Records SerialSerial “publications relating to the “publications relating to the

proceedings of the proceedings of the principal organsprincipal organs of of the UN or certain UN conferences; they the UN or certain UN conferences; they include verbatim or summary records of include verbatim or summary records of the meetings . . . , annexes and the meetings . . . , annexes and supplements.”supplements.”

Masthead DocumentsMasthead Documents Basically, all other documents created for Basically, all other documents created for

or during any UN-related meetingsor during any UN-related meetings

Official RecordsOfficial Records

Resolutions / DecisionsResolutions / Decisions Meeting AgendasMeeting Agendas Meeting Records – Verbatim or Meeting Records – Verbatim or

SummarySummary Regular Reports of Subsidiary Organs Regular Reports of Subsidiary Organs

and Agencies (in Supplements)and Agencies (in Supplements) Additional Important Documents Additional Important Documents

Relied Upon During Meetings (in Relied Upon During Meetings (in Annexes)Annexes)

Masthead DocumentsMasthead Documents

AKA Mimeograph or Parliamentary DocsAKA Mimeograph or Parliamentary Docs Anything produced by/for non-principal Anything produced by/for non-principal

organs (committees, commissions, etc.)organs (committees, commissions, etc.) Reports from these groups may appear Reports from these groups may appear

in Annexes, Supplements to Official in Annexes, Supplements to Official RecordsRecords Will have two symbols: Will have two symbols:

Masthead SymbolMasthead Symbol Official Record SymbolOfficial Record Symbol

Required for Bluebook citation if availableRequired for Bluebook citation if available

UN DatabasesUN Databases

Many, varied access points available Many, varied access points available through UN website: through UN website: http://www.un.org/en/

Websites for individual entities may Websites for individual entities may also provide access to some of their also provide access to some of their documentsdocuments

Official Document SystemOfficial Document System

““Previous” ODSPrevious” ODS

Old ODS – Simple SearchOld ODS – Simple Search

Old ODS – Advanced SearchOld ODS – Advanced Search

Old ODS – Basic SearchOld ODS – Basic Search

New ODSNew ODS

New ODS – Advanced SearchNew ODS – Advanced Search

““Narrow Your Search”Narrow Your Search”

Results List provides links to further Results List provides links to further narrow the resultsnarrow the results By UN BodyBy UN Body

Limited list; mainly principal organsLimited list; mainly principal organs By Economic CommissionBy Economic Commission By LanguageBy Language

Six official languages plus “Other”Six official languages plus “Other” By YearBy Year

Only back to 2000 although older docs are Only back to 2000 although older docs are avail.avail.

UNBISnetUNBISnet

UNBISnet - BrowseUNBISnet - Browse

Questions?Questions?

Dan BakerDan Bakerdjbaker2@central.uh.edu

SourcesSources

United Nations Documentation: Research United Nations Documentation: Research GuideGuide http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/symbol.h

tm

U.N. Secretariat, Regulations for the Control and U.N. Secretariat, Regulations for the Control and Limitation of Documentation: Distribution of Limitation of Documentation: Distribution of Documents, Meeting Records, Official Records Documents, Meeting Records, Official Records and Publications, and Publications, ¶¶ ¶¶ 2-5, 2-5, U.N. Doc. U.N. Doc. ST/AI/189/Add.3/Rev.2 (Dec. 17, 1985)ST/AI/189/Add.3/Rev.2 (Dec. 17, 1985)