* Sales Number Publications = books: annual reports, statistics, surveys, reports, minutes of seminars

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1 The UN Collection The United Nations has created a system of depository libraries so as to ensure the universal availability of the documents produced by the various organisations of the UN. There are at least two such depository libraries in each Member State; in Finland there are three: The Library of Parliament, the Library of Åbo Akademie University and Tampere University Library. The Tampere University Library has enjoyed full deposit rights since The compiling of the collection began from the date on which full deposit rights were granted, although we also have some slightly older material. The Tampere University Library receives all Official Publications of the UN, likewise Official Records, so-called Sales Publications and Mimeographed Documents. Since the beginning of 2002 the Library has used the United Nations Official Documents System (ODS), which includes UN parliamentary documentation and official records as full text. This material can no longer be obtained in printed form for the UN collection The UN collection at Tampere University Library consists of material produced by the United Nations and its organisations. The UN Collection is located on the second floor of the Main Library, Attila Building, where there are Sales Number Publications from 1990 on. Older Sales Publications, Official Publications and Mimeographed Documents are in the closed collection store. The UN Collection on the second floor also includes periodicals (last five issues), bibliographies, indices and other UN material. UN statistics will mostly be found in the international statistics class of the reference library (ATTILA Ref 318). The collection includes * Treaty Series: international agreements and all treaties to which Member States are party * Official Records: records of the general assembly and other major organisations * Decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) * Sales Number Publications = books: annual reports, statistics, surveys, reports, minutes of seminars

2 * Periodicals * Mimeographed documents: preparatory material for various meetings The more recent material in the collection, i.e. publications (not Official Records) appearing after 1980 are catalogued in TAMCAT, the library database, and classified according to the classification in use by the UN. Material belonging to this collection will be loaned out overnight or over the weekend, but Official Records and Mimeographed Documents can only be borrowed within the reading room on the Library premises. Interlibrary loan is also available. The UN Information Service The UN Information Service provides advice and guidance in the use of UN sources. The Service will make information and literature searches on the basis of clients information and orders. Searches will be paid for. A search is generally ordered through a form available through the Information Service. Clients are advised to specify their requests through discussion with the librarian responsible for the collection. Contact information for the librarian Tel Fax lib-un@uta.fi UN Databases UNBISnet (link: ) is the primary UN reference database containing the UN Dag Hammarsköld Library and the collection catalogues of the UN Geneva. References to UN documents and publications, cotations to speeches delivered in the General Assembly, the Economics and Social Council, the Security Council and the Trusteeship Council and Voting Records for all General Assemblies since 1983 and decisions approved in the Security Council from 1946 will be found in the UNBISnet Database. The UNBISnet Database is freely available on the Internet.

3 The United Nations Official Document System (ODS) ( contains UN parliamentary documentation and Official Records published at the UN headquarters in New York, the Geneva Office (UNOG) or the Vienna Office (UNOV) since 1993 and for Economic and Social Council (ESCAP) documents since The ODS Resolutions Database moreover contains the official records version of all resolutions and decisions of UN main organs since 1946 in all the official languages of the United Nations. ODS Databases can be used on the library premises, the librarian on duty in the reference library will open the connection. The United Nations Treaty Collection (link: contains material pertaining to international agreements. The Status of Multilateral Treaties deposited with the Secretary-General contains the current status of over 500 international multilateral treaties. The United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS) contains the texts of over 40,000 bilateral and multilateral treaties. The Treaty Collection further contains the text of agreements which have not yet been published in the Treaty Series. The databases of the Treaty Collection can be used on the library premises. UN Guide to Sources of Information Always being your search from the Library s own TAMCAT Database. You will locate the information best through a word search or through the combined search form. See what you find before transferring to the sources of information in the UN Collection. (A) General sourcebook for background information on the subject Basic Facts about the United Nations LOCATION: ATTILA Ref UN I 00.21) (B) When you have e.g. defined the time of events from (A) (year/-t): Yearbook of the United Nations for the year in question LOCATION: ATTILA Ref 327 Yearbook.. contains - summaries of actions pertaining to the subject - selected references to source documents ( C) More precise references to documents: If it is likely that the subject was discussed, e.g. in the General Assembly, the Security Council etc. use:

4 -Index to the Proceedings of the General Assembly index to Proceedings of the Security Council Index to proceedings of the Economic and Social Council Index to Proceedings of the Trusteeship Council LOCATION: ATTILA Ref UN Bibl If your subject is more general use: - UNDOC, UNDEX bibliographies LOCATION: ATTILA Ref UN Bibl Other importance sources of information are: - UN Chronicle LOCATION: ATTILA Ref UN Periodicals - A Guide to Information at the United Nations LOCATION: ATTILA Ref UN I General Assembly This is the most important negotiating organ of the United Nations, which determines the main lines of UN activity, the approval of new Member States and the Budget of the organisation. The General Assembly deals with the annual reports of other UN organisations, but as a higher organ, the General Assembly does not report to other UN organs. The regular session is held every autumn, and if necessary the General Assembly can be convened for special sessions or emergency meetings. The resolutions of the General Assembly and its decisions are only recommendations made to member States, thus they do not commit the Member States. The results of sessions appear in the Official Records: General Assembly: Resolutions and decisions LOCATION: ATTILA UN (closed collection; in the order of the sessions). Sessions have been compiled in the Yearbook of the United Nations LOCATION: ATTILA Ref 327 In Finnish: Yhdistyneiden Kansakuntien yleiskokous LOCATION: ATTILA Ref 34 Activities of the sessions - Each session has its own agenda items on this are discussed in plenary meetings or allocated for consideration in sessional committees. Report on each item discussed in committees, including summary of discussion and text of draft decisions or resolutions recommended.

5 Discussion of committee reports in plenary meetings and action taken on recommended resolutions or decisions. DOCUMENTS PRODUCED Plenary Series A/Session/sequential number contains - lists of important subjects and agendas (A/session/100) contains complete history of each subject including references to previous documentation and most recent documentation published documents for discussion while matters are handled committee reports session by session on each subject discussed. Sessional committee documents A/C number or acronym of committee/general Assembly/sequential number contains: - information material ( lists of delegations, organisation of work) proposals and administrative documents minutes of meetings, published in Official Records of the General Assembly Resolutions - published in interim form: A/RES/sessions/sequential number published again at the end of the year in the last Official Records Supplement Verbatim Records A/session/PV./sequential number - published in the Official Records series Supplements to the Official Records contents include: - UN budget annual reports of UN subsidiary organisations resolutions and decisions

6 Annexes to the Official Records Numbers of meetings at which item was discussed Reissuance of certain important documents, e.g. committee reports for items discussed in committees draft resolutions and other documents for items discussed in plenary meetings, checklist of documents issued for the item, statement of action taken at the plenary meeting Security Council The Security Council is the core leading organisation of the UN. With extensive powers it has been accorded the main responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Its decisions are binding on all Member States. The Security Council is ready to convene rapidly and at short notice. It reports annually to the General Assembly. Activities in sessions: - agenda for each meeting (S/Agenda) two standing committees: Committee of Experts on Rules of Procedure ( investigates and advises on rules and other technical matters) S/C.1/- - Committee on the Admission of New Members (S/C.2/-) Ad hoc committees set up as required (S/AC. /-) agenda of discussions of plenary meetings Action taken in resolutions or decisions DOCUMENTS PRODUCED Plenary series S/year/sequential number (prior to 1994 S/sequential number) - first published in interim form almost all are republished in the quarterly supplements Official Records of the Security Council Statements of the President of the Security Council S/PRST/year/sequential number Verbatim Records S/PV. - first published in interim form subsequently published in Official Records

7 Resolutions S/RES/sequential number(year) - published in interim form also republished at the end of the year as part of the Official Records, then: S/INF/- Supplements to the Official Records - published quarterly, containing: - republications of documents checklists of documents special reports published as special supplements. Economic and Social Council Under the control of the General Assembly the Economic and Social Council has the responsibility for the co-ordination of the UN s economic and social work. ECOSOC lays down guidelines in matters of international development questions and the promotion of human rights. It reports annually to the General Assembly and UN special organisations and UN special organisations are required to report on their actions to ECOSOC. Sessions are: organisational session, high level segment and substantive session every year (E/year/sequential number). Special sessions are arranged as needed. Activities of sessions - one agenda for each session items discussed in plenary meetings or allocated for consideration in sessional committees. Report on each item discussed in committees, including summary of discussion and text of draft decisions or resolutions recommended Discussion of committee reports of plenary meetings and action taken on recommended resolutions or decisions. DOCUMENTS PRODUCED Plenary Series E/year/sequential number containing: - agendas (one contains the entire history of matters to be addressed with references to documents) documents published for discussion on the subject reports of sessional committee on each subject discussed

8 Sessional committee documents E/year/C.1/-, C.2/-, C.3/- containing - information material proposals for drafts and administrative documents minutes of sessions (not published after 1981) Summary Records of Plenary Meetings E/year/SR. sequential number - published interim for use of participants only republished Official Records of the Economic and Social Council Resolutions - published interim in the INF series E/year/INF/sequential number- republished Supplement to the official Records No.1 Supplements to Official Records - annual reports of the subsidiary bodies - special reports resolutions and decisions The Trusteeship Council The Trusteeship Council completed its mission with the independence of the colonies, its last area of trusteeship, the island of Palau, became independent in There were originally 11 trusteeship agreements. The task of the Trusteeship Council was to support the gradual development of the trusteeship areas towards independence. According to the present situation the Council has completed the convening procedures stipulated and now only convenes when required. Until 1975 the Council reported annually to the General Assembly. The Council reported to the Security Council on so-called strategic areas. Activity in sessions - agenda for each session subjects discussed in plenary meetings

9 DOCUMENTS PRODUCED T/-, are general documents and contain - agenda documents published for discussion under items communications, petitions, observations (T/COM. /-, T/PET. /-, T/OBS. /- Resolutions published Official Records of the Trusteeship Council. Supplement No. 1 Sessional Fascicle of the Official Records contains important documents reissued as annexes. The International Court of Justice The international Court of Justice is the UN s most important judicial organ. It consists of 15 judges selected by the General assembly and the Security Council. The mission of the Court is twofold: to resolve according to international law legal disputes submitted to it by Member States and to give advice in legal issues. It reports annually to the General Assembly. DOCUMENTS PRODUCED Bibliography of the International Court of Justice LOCATION: ATTILA Ref The Annual Report to the General Assembly is published in Official Records of the General Assembly. Supplement No. 4 Reports on judgements, advisory opinions and orders: - each decision/resolution is published immediately it is given in unbound fascicles - analytical index published annually The Secretariat The Secretariat works under the Secretary-General in all other UN main organisations: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Trusteeship Council. The Secretariat prepares their sessions.

10 DOCUMENTS PRODUCED Public information material: - Yearbook of the United Nations, United Nations Chronicle etc. The annual report of the Secretary General is published: Official Records of the General Assembly. Supplement No. 1 More information about United Nations documentation: Tampere University Library Street address: Yliopistonkatu 38 P.O. Box UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE Tel. int (0) (switchboard) Tel. int (0) (UN collection librarian) Fax. int (0)