Dag Hammarskjöld Library Introduction to UN databases

UNBISNET and ODS

UN Reference ServiceDag Hammarskjöld Library

Where do we find documents?

• Official Document system– UN documents from 1993– Resolutions and Security Council documents from

1946– http://documents.un.org

• United Nations Bibliographic Information System– Everything you find in ODS + bibliographic

information on UN documents from 1979– http://unbisnet.un.org/

Finding UN Resolutions

• By dates or session

– UN Documentation Research Guide

– http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/index.html (Quick Links)

• By title or subject

– UNBISnet : http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/

– Bibliographic Records

• Security Council Resolutions on Iran

• General Assembly resolutions on revitalization of the work of the General Assembly

Finding Voting Records

• UNBISnet : Voting Records

– By resolution number

• Security Council Resolution 1907

–S/RES/1907

– By keywords

• General Assembly resolutions on embargo against Cuba

Finding Reports

• By Title or Subject

– UNBISnet : Bibliographic Records

• SG’s reports on violence against women

• SG’s reports on millennium development goals

• Report of the African-Union High Level Panel on Darfur

Meeting Records

• Statements and speeches made and actions taken during UN meetings are recorded in meeting records.– Verbatim records (proces verbal)

• Symbol has .../PV.- (A/63/PV.44)

• Contains full, first-person account of the proceedings of a meeting.

– Summary records • Symbol has .../SR.-

(A/C.5/63/SR.25)• Contains a third-person condensed version of the

proceedings of a meeting

Finding Meeting Records

• By State– Member States On the Record

• http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/unms/

– UNBISnet : Index to Speeches

• By Speaker– UNBISNET : Index to Speeches

• Obama

UNBISnet vs ODS

• Use UNBISnet to search– By title– By subject– By type of document– Speeches– Voting Records

• USE ODS to search– In the full text– By Agenda Item– By Session– General search

through enhanced ODS

UN-I-QUE

• UN-I-Que provides access to document symbols/sales numbers for UN materials from 1946 onwards. – Information about UN documents of a recurrent nature– Each record is comprehensive historically– Provides the symbols only– Types of documents include:

• annual/sessional reports of committees/commissions• reports periodically/irregularly issued• reports of major conferences• statements in the General Debate

• Search by title only.• http://lib-unique.un.org/lib/unique.nsf

Learning about UN Documents

• Online Tutorials on how to search UN documents: http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/training/training.htm– By symbol– Resolutions and voting records– SG’s Reports– Meetings records

• United Nations Documentation Research Guide: http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/resguide/index.html

Reference

• Reference librarians:– Answer any question on UN documentation– Offer research assistance– Offer one-one or small group training

• unreference@un.org• 212-963-7412

• Stay informed– UN Pulse

http://unhq-appspub-01.un.org/lib/dhlrefweblog.nsf– Follow us on Twitter @UNLibrary

Hands onUNBISNET:

1. From the bibliographic search find the reports of the SG on counter-terrorism strategy

2. Find resolution on participation of European Union in the work of the united nations (participation of European Union (B01))

3. From the voting record search which countries voted the resolution (A/RES/65/276)

4. From the voting record database, find which resolution admitted Sweden to UN membership "Sweden admission”

5. From the index to speeches database search all speeches by European Union (country/organization)

6. Narrow the same search to current session of the GA(select GA in symbol A/65). How many results?

Hands on ODS• Using simple ODS search document A/65/100. What is the document title• Using advanced ODS find the resolution that admitted Sweden to UN membership

UNIQUE• Find the Secretary Generals most recent report on Haiti budget

For more training:http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/training/training.htm

Library contacts: unreference@un.org

Tel : 212 963 7412