FIU Libraries: United Nations: An Introduction: An Introduction

This LibGuide was created for the purpose of providing users with a basic understanding of the United Nations, its structure, and to provide users with access to resources available online and at FIU’s Green Library.

The United Nations, An Introduction

An Introduction
Main Bodies

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization, founded after World War II, for the purposes of maintaining international peace and security. T he Charter of the United Nations states:

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, and
to regain faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and
to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom...

The UN's 4 main goals, according to its website, are:

To keep peace throughout the world,
To develop friendly relations among nations,
To promote better living standards,
And to act as the central location for enacting these goals.

The UN is comprised of a number of different member states. Florida International University's Green Library is one of a handful of official UN Depository Libraries and contains a number of excellent primary source materials concerning a wide variety of subjects within international relations.

The United Nations is a large and complex organization. Like all government documents research, it is essential to first understand the structure in order to effectively research regarding a topic. Before researching, find out which branch or committee of the United Nations would be most likely to be interested in your subject. By first thinking about the agency interested in your subject, you can more effectively find primary source documents in the UN Depository collection.

The Main Bodies of the UN:

Click here to download a chart of the United Nations' structure from the UN website.

Floor		Resources
One		Center for Academic Success: University Learning/Testing Center Electronic Classroom Broadcast Video Productions Resource for Education Technology UTS - Media Equipment Services Distance Learning Electronic Classroom Instructional Photography & Graphics
Two		Information & Research Services Curriculum & Juvenile Collection LACiC - Latin American and Caribbean Center Government Documents GIS-RS Center & Teaching Lab Maps & Imagery User Statistics
Three		Periodicals & Newspapers Laptop Lounge Honors College Student Resource Center College of Medicine Library Copiers Systems
Four		College of Medicine Special Collections & Archivese Academic Space Management School of Social Work Study Area
Five		Audiovisual Collection Diaz Ayala Collection Architecture and Fine Arts (General Collection and Periodical Section N) Music (General Collection and Periodical Section M) Music Listening Room Music CAI Center Spanish Resource Center Group Study Rooms
Six		Quiet Study Space Group Study Rooms General Collection HJ-L & P-Z Oversized Books
Seven		General Collection A-HG Quiet Study Floor Group Study Rooms
Eight		Library Administration Collection Management Digital Collections Center

Floor		Resources
One		Circulation Course Reserves Intercampus/Interlibrary Loan Information and Research Services Center for Excellence in Writing Communication Arts Studio Computer Labs/Copiers
Two		Microforms Periodicals Juvenile Collection Oversize Collection Video Collection Government Documents Reference Workroom Reference Collection Copiers
Three		General Collection, A-Z Library Administration

United Nations: An Introduction

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The United Nations, An Introduction

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