The Nuclear Regulatory Commission provides access to large collections of documents that can be searched on its ADAMS (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System) database. Newer records, released since 1999, are available through its PARS (Publicly Available Records System) Library. Older bibliographic citations are available in its Public Legacy Library section.
The Public Legacy Library search is where you will also find the microform address numbers needed to search our NRC Microfiche collections. Some content in the ADAMS database is freely available in full text online, although much of its content is citation only, and must be read on Microfiche in our collections here at the Knowledge Center at the University of Nevada, Reno.
To search the ADAMS database for items in our NRC Microfiche collections, click on the "Advanced Search" tab at the top of the page, and click on the "Public Legacy Library" option (you can search for materials post-1999 using the "Public Library" search option - most of those are available in full-text PDF):
Figure 1. Screenshot of ADAMS database search with tab options for "Folder View," "Content Search," and "Advanced Search," with arrow pointing to "Advanced Search. Query options in the sidebar under "Advanced Search" for "Public Library," or "Public Legacy Library" with arrow pointing to "Public Legacy Library."
You can customize your search in a variety of ways - I used a keyword search to look for documents containing the words "Yucca Mountain." Use the dropdown menus under "Document Properties" to customize your search:
Figure 2. Screenshot of "Document Properties" options with a dropdown menu under "Property." A series of options is shown, with "Keyword" selected.
In your search results, you will likely find some citations that have links to full text, and others that are citations only. Double click on the icon to access the full text:
Figure 3. Screenshot of ADAMS database search results list with a blank page icon showing that the link is citation only, and a icon with displaying text and instructions to double click on that icon for full text.
To find the microfiche of the article you are interested in, click the box next to the title, and select "Properties" above:
Figure 4. Screenshot of ADAMS database search results with an arrow pointing to "Properties" in the top menu and directions to "Click Properties." A short list of results is below, with an arrow pointing to the selection box next to one of the results, with directions to click the box next to the article you're interested in.
In the "Document Properties" pop up box, scroll down to "Microform Addresses." You can use this number to locate the microfiche in the NRC cabinets at the Knowledge Center:
Figure 5. Screenshot of the Document Properties pop up box with the tab for "Custom" selected, and an arrow indicating to click on the "Custom" tab. Below is a list of metadata for the article, with an arrow pointing to the Microform Addresses, and an arrow indicating to scroll down to find the Microform Addresses.
On the second floor of the Knowledge Center is a large collection of microfiche and microfilm which can be easily browsed using the viewing machines provided. In order to find the NRC microfiche collection, look for the microfiche file cabinets on the left of the circulation area when you enter the library. The NRC microfiche are located in cabinet numbers 84 and 85. The collection contains thousands of documents which are organized by microform address, which you can find through a search in the ADAMS Public Legacy Library collection using the tips provided on this page.
Microfiche reader at the Knowledge Center. Photograph by Emily Dunster
NRC Microfiche cabinets located in the Knowledge Center. Photograph by Emily Dunster
