To search for government publications published before 1976, use the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications, located in the wooden bookcase in the Government Publications reading area. This publication is indexed by author, title, and subject. Use the index of the Monthly Catalog to find a desired government publication. The numbers in the index refer to entry numbers.

Locate the entry number in the main body of the Monthly Catalog to find the bibliographic information, including the SuDoc number, for that publication. For convenience, there are several 10-year cumulative indexes shelved with the Monthly Catalog.

Once you have found your government publication and its SuDoc number in the Monthly Catalog, consult the library catalog or the shelflist card catalog located in the Government Publications reading area to determine if the Library owns that publication. The shelflist is arranged by SuDoc number. For help in using SuDoc numbers, follow the information under the "How to Read a SuDoc Number" tab.