The United Nations is a tremendous organization and as such, navigating documents and publications generated by UN entities can feel overwhelming. Though some older documents have not (yet) been digitized and are only available in print or microform formats (for such materials, search our library catalog or WorldCat), much UN material is now freely available on the web, and there are many guides to assist researchers in navigating UN digital collections. This guide suggests resources for Vanderbilt patrons seeking both electronic and print documents and publications by and about the United Nations, and links to guides offering more in-depth discussion of the UN's work and materials.
General UN Databases and Resources
From the UN's main document homepage, researchers will find links to certain foundational documents, such as the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and links to document collections associated with certain core UN entities, including the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Secretariat, International Court of Justice, and Trusteeship Council. The latter typically direct users to collections housed on the sites of those entities, or as compiled by the UN's Dag Hammarskjöld Library. The site also provides links to the UN's major publications and document repositories, some of which are described in this guide.
- UN Digital LibraryLaunched in 2017, the UN Digital Library offers full-text document searching, and provides filters for resource type and UN body. Use Advanced Search to add date filters, search using bibliographic record fields, or to construct a Boolean search.
- UN Official Document System (ODS)Launched in 1993, the UN's database of certain born-digital materials. This platform predates the Digital Library, and lacks the linked data features and more robust search functionality of that newer platform.
- Library Catalog: Advanced SearchVanderbilt's Central Library is a UN Depositary Library, and in that capacity holds many UN documents in its Government Document collection. The Massey Law Library holds many print publications by and about UN entities and their work.
In searching the catalog for relevant materials, consider searching "United Nations" in the Author/Creator field in the catalog's Advanced Search form. Search for works about the United Nations or its entities or affiliates by searching the entity name in the Subject field.
- HeinOnline This link opens in a new windowThough free resources are often superior to commercial databases in searching for UN documents, HeinOnline's United Nations Law Collection includes the UN Treaty Series, material from the International Court of Justice, and UN publications such as yearbooks and serials. Browse the collection from the International Resources page.
- UN iLibraryThough UN entities generate many documents as part of their routine work, the United Nations also publishes many books, journals, magazines, and yearbooks covering a variety of topics. If you cannot locate a UN publication of interest in the VU library catalog, consider searching for a digital version in the UN's iLibrary. Many publications are available for free online browsing in an e-reader; PDFs downloads are available for registered users.
