Depository Collections at the University of Alberta Libraries

United Nations and European Union Information

NEOS Libraries Mini-Conference, November 4th, 2002

Lindsay Johnston, Government Publications Librarian, University of Alberta

Depository Agreements:

• Government of Canada

• Government of Alberta

• Asian Development Bank

• Organization of American States

• Pan-American Health Organization (WHO)

• World Trade Organization

• United Nations (since 1957)

• European Union (since 2001)

United Nations • Formed in 1945 by 50 member

countries - UN Charter came into force on October 24th, 1945

• Charter of the United Nations- We the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind…

• Now there are 190 member countries

United Nations Depository Collection • Includes documents of the 6 main UN bodies:

– General Assembly– Security Council– Economic and Social Council– International Court of Justice– Secretariat– Trusteeship Council

• Also includes documents of:– United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)– United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)– United Nations Conference on Trade and

Development (UNCTAD)

www.un.org/aboutun/unchart.pdf

General Assembly• each member state has a vote • reflection of world opinion, expressed in the

resolutions of the General Assembly• Six main committees:

– First Committee: Disarmament and International Security Committee (A/C.1/sess./-)

– Second Committee: Economic and Financial Committee (A/C.2/sess./-)

– Third Committee: Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (A/C.3/sess./-)

– Fourth Committee: Special Political and Decolonization Committee (A/C.4/sess./-)

– Fifth Committee: Administrative and Budgetary Committee (A/C.5/sess./-)

– Sixth Committee--Legal Committee (A/C.6/sess./-)

Security Council• 15 Members:

– 5 Permanent: China, Russia, United States, United Kingdom, France

– 10 rotating members who serve two year terms

• Primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security

• Strives to end conflict through diplomacy and enforcement if necessary

• Measures: cease-fire directives, peace-keeping forces, economic sanctions, collective military action

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

• Composed of 54 member Governments

– elected by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms, by geographic area

• Coordinates the work of UN Specialized Agencies, Commissions, Funds, and Programmes

• Responsible for:– promoting higher standards of living, full

employment, and economic and social progress– identifying solutions to international economic, social

and health problems– facilitating international cultural and educational

cooperation– encouraging universal respect for human rights and

fundamental freedoms

members

International Court of Justice• 15 judges elected to nine-year terms by the

General Assembly and Security Council– may not include more than one judge of any

nationality

• Settles the legal disputes submitted to it by States in accordance with international law

• Gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized international organs and agencies

• Only States may apply to and appear before the Court. They must be UN members.

Secretariat• UN Civil Service• Answers directly to UN Secretary General• Carries out the day-to-day work of the UN:

– Administers programmes & peacekeeping operations

– mediates international disputes– prepares surveys & studies on economic &

social trends, human rights, etc.– communicates with the media– organizes international conferences– interprets speeches & translates documents

Trusteeship Council• Historical entity• Established by the United Nations Charter in 1945 to

supervise the administration of 11 “non-self-governing” Trust Territories

• Major goals: to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of Trust Territories and their development towards self-government or independence.

• The Trusteeship Council is made up of the five permanent members of the Security Council

• By 1994, all Trust Territories had attained self-government or independence, either as separate States or by joining neighbouring independent countries.

• Now will meet only when required.

Formats & Locations

Depository Items:• Monographs• Periodicals• Mimeos - Floor 2a, Rutherford Library

SouthNon-Depository Items:• Microfiche - Floor 2, Rutherford North• World Wide Web - UN website: www.un.org

• Yearbook of the United Nations• NEOS Libraries Catalogue• Access UN Database• World Wide Web

– UN website– Google

• Print Indexes

U of A Libraries Guide:Library Homepage--Government Publications--International

Organizationswww.library.ualberta.ca/subject/government/international/index.cfm#UN

Finding Tools & Guides

Library Catalogue

• Use command searching to identify the UN as an author, ie:

au United Nations and su statistics and su women

au united nations and (su forced migration or su refugees)

au United Nations Environment Programme and industry and energy

• many documents are also available online

Access UN Database (U of A only)

• provides access to current and retrospective United Nations documents and publications from the six main bodies of the United Nations

• Full text of resolutions from the General Assembly and Security Council

• Also indexes masthead documents, sales publications, sessional and standing committee documents, commissions & conferences, articles appearing in UN periodicals, treaties, etc.

European Union• European Coal and Steel Community

formed in 1950, after continuous negotiations following WWII

France

After four “waves” of accessions and landmark treaties on expanding economic and social cooperation, there are now 15 countries forming the European Union:

Germany

BelgiumLuxembourg

Netherlands

Italy

1973: Denmark

Ireland United Kingdom1981: Greece 1986: Spain Portugal

1995:

Austria Finland

Sweden

Goals Establish European citizenship

- fundamental freedoms, freedom of movement, civil and political rights

Ensure freedom, security and justice

Promote economic and social progress - single market, the Euro, jobs, environmental protection, etc.

Assert Europe's role in the world - Common Foreign and Security Policy

Structure“The European Union is based on the rule of law and

democracy. It is neither a new State replacing existing ones nor is it comparable to other international organisations. Its Member States delegate sovereignty to common institutions representing the interests of the Union as a whole on questions of joint interest. All decisions and procedures are derived from the basic treaties ratified by the Member States.”

5 Main Institutions:

European Parliament

Council of the Union

European Commission

European Court of Justice

Court of Auditors

Other Important EU Bodies:

Economic and Social Commmittee

Committee of the Regions

European Investment Bank

European Central Bank

etc.

European Documentation Centre

Goals: • Promote the study of European Integration• Provide access to the documents of the EU

Documents:• Print - distributed throughout the library system• Online - accessible through the library catalogue and U of A Libraries EDC web guide

• Microfiche - COM documents, 2nd Floor Rutherford North

Finding Tools

• General Report on the Activities of the European Union http://europa.eu.int/abc/doc/off/rg/en/welcome.htm

• NEOS Libraries Catalogue

• EU online databases & portals - EURLEX, etc.

U of A European Documentation Centre web guide: www.library.ualberta.ca/subject/government/eurodoc/index.cfm