Several recent reports on the status of reconstruction in Iraq have been released this week from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) and are in the news.
SIGIR Audit Reports [April]:
Main site -- http://www.sigir.mil/reports/audit.aspx
* 08-011 [April 29, 2008]
Review of Outcome, Cost, and Oversight of Electricity-Sector Reconstruction Contract with Perini Corporation http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/08-011.pdf
* 08-017 [April 28, 2008]
Transferring Reconstruction Projects to the Government of Iraq: Some Progress Made but Further Improvements Needed to Avoid Waste http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/08-017.pdf
* 08-013 [April 28, 2008]
Interim Report on Iraq Reconstruction Contract Terminations
http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/08-013.pdf
* 08-015 [April 25, 2008]
Interim Analysis of Iraqi Security Force Information Provided by the Department of Defense Report, Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq
http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/08-015.pdf
* 08-016 [April 24, 2008]
U.S. Anticorruption Efforts in Iraq: Progress Made in Implementing Revised Management Plan
http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/08-016.pdf
* 08-014 [April 24, 2008]
Progress on Recommended Improvements to Contract Administration for the Iraqi Police Training Program
http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/08-014.pdf
SIGIR Quarterly Reports
Main site http://www.sigir.mil/reports/Default.aspx
They just released its most recently quarterly report
http://www.sigir.mil/reports/quarterlyreports/Apr08/pdf/Report_-_April_2
008.pdf
Their summary of this report --
Since April 2003, the United States Congress has appropriated more than
$46 billion for the relief and reconstruction of Iraq. This Quarterly Report provides a comprehensive update on how that money has been spent, with information on the top five projects in each construction sector, the top contractors by income, an overview of reconstruction management, and SIGIR's new audits and inspections. In addition, with Iraq's oil revenue income on course to hit $70 billion for 2008 "twice what was expected" Iraq is in a position to take on more responsibility for its own reconstruction. The Year of Transfer in Iraq continues, with three major issues unfolding:
* Transferring funding responsibility
* Transferring reconstruction assets
* Transferring responsibility for security

The depository eagle was created by GPO staff and approved by the staff in the Office of the Superintendent of Documents and from the Joint Committee on Printing.
The logo was selected from 3 designs submitted by GPO Graphics Department. Jim Livesey, Director of Library Programs Service of the Superintendent of Documents Office and Bernadine Abbott Hoduski (retired professional staffer, U.S. Congress Joint Committee on Printing Helena, Montana ber@initco.net) as a JCP staffer decided on the winner.
The eagle logo was first used by GPO 9/30/1977. It was registered as a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 12/27/2005. S/N:
78503429
http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78503429

Library of Congress Opens Main Reading Room to Researchers
Age 16 and Older


Library of Congress Opens Main Reading Room to Researchers Age 16 and Older The Library of Congress today announced that the minimum age for use of the Main Reading Room to access the Library's physical collections for research purposes has been lowered to 16. The previous requirement was that researchers be above high school age. "The Library of Congress is always looking for ways to create new lifelong learners, to expand access to knowledge and to spark the creativity of future generations," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. "We want people of all ages to be aware of the almost limitless resources that are available in libraries, including their de facto national library, especially at a time when the amount of information online still represents only a tiny fraction of the sum total of human knowledge." According to the U.S.
Census Bureau, there are more than 8 million 16- and 17-year-olds living in the United States.


http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2008/08-069.html

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has decided to not record a "snapshot" of government web pages at the end of the current Administration (as it did at the end of the Clinton Admin and of the 109th Congress). The letter below urges the Archivist to rescind that decision.
Background information is provided here:
http://www.dotgovwatch.com/?/archives/34-The-National-Archives-Is-Quietly-Destroying-Millions-of-Documents.html#contentStart
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9077158
NARA's response to the bad publicity is here: http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/memos/nwm13-2008-brief.html
The deadline is Monday, 28 April. If you want to sign your organization on, please let Vivek Shah know.
Thanks.
Patrice McDermott, Director
OpenTheGovernment.org
www.openthegovernment.org
202.332.OPEN (6736)
April , 2008
Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States National Archives and Records Administration 700 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20408
Dear Dr Weinstein,
We are writing to express our serious concerns about the National Archives and Record Administration's decision to not record a "snapshot" of government web pages at the end of the current Administration. Federal websites are federal records and, therefore, must be treated as such and preserved appropriately. As the site for the 2004 Presidential Term Web Harvest indicates, the first such snapshot was "intended to document Federal agencies' presence on the World Wide Web at the time that the Presidential Administration term ended in early 2005." Indeed, NARA also captured House and Senate public web sites as they existed prior to December 11 2006, at the end of the109th Congress (2006). A precedent, thus, has been clearly established for this important method of preserving a moment in our country's history.
It is our understanding that in NWM 13.2008, the reasons for this decision include that Existing, private entities such as the Internet Archive (archives.org) already record federal web pages; and NARA does not consider such a snapshot to possess enough historical value to warrant its recording.
The work of organizations like the Internet Archive, while valuable, does not supplant the responsibility of our national government to protect and document its own history and the NARA snapshot is the critical component of the Nation's historical record. No other agency has both the public mandate and the public accountability necessary for protecting historical records.
Moreover, depending on private, non-profit organizations to keep our Nation's digital history poses serious risks. What guarantee is there that the Internet Archive or any similar organization, and the records they keep, will still exist 10, 15, or a hundred years from now? How do we ensure that these records will be freely available and without limitations on their use?
A snapshot of federal web pages is, indeed, of great historical value. They provide the public with an image and understanding of the government at a particular point in time that can be then compared and contrasted with other such images over Administrations. Such comparison is of immense historical value because it allows the public direct access to federal digital records at a given time in history. As Congress and Federal agencies continue to move more and more of their work online, proactive and detailed digital archiving is essential for public awareness and government accountability.
We urge you to rescind your decision and continue NARA's web harvesting program by archiving a snapshot of all federal web pages at the end of the current presidential term. Not capturing federal websites now may mean losing millions of pages created during the Bush administration. Allowing such a loss is contrary to the trust in and the mission of the National Archives and Records Administration.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss our concerns with you. Thank you in advance for considering this request. Please contact Patrice McDermott at 202-332-6736 with any questions.
Sincerely,

From the top of de Young Museum in San Francisco -- a government building

The Second Judicial District Court - Family Division has been hosting monthly "service fairs" on the 3rd floor of One South Sierra Street, North Tower. Our next service fair will be held on Thursday, April 24, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and will highlight services provided by the Adoption and Attachment Resource Center of Nevada and Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Northern Nevada.
The Adoption and Attachment Resource Center will be here from 9:00 a.m.
- 3:00 p.m. and Consumer Credit Counseling Services will here from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. The Adoption and Attachment Resource Center provides information about recruitment, training, and ongoing support for adoptive families. Consumer Credit Counseling Services provides free credit, debt, budget, housing, and family counseling. Please share this information with those who may be interested in such assistance.
Should you have any questions, please let me know. For your convenience I have also attached the event flyer. Thank you in advance for encouraging people to attend.
Joey A. Orduna, J.D.
Assistant Court Administrator - Family Court Second Judicial District P.O. Box 30083 Reno, Nevada 89520-3083
Phone: (775) 328-3467
Cell: (775) 250-2322
Fax: (775) 328-3469
Email: joey.orduna@washoecourts.us <mailto:joey.orduna@washoecourts.us>

John Califano , working the Periodical Desk at the Downtown Reno Library.

POPLINE


On April 2, controversy erupted when medical research librarians discovered that database administrators at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, took action to block the word 'abortion' as a search term for searches conducted on POPLINE, the 'world's largest database on reproductive health.'
Shortly after the news was made public, the ALA Washington Office approached officials at John Hopkins inquiring about the limitations placed on the database and demanding a full investigation into the matter. When informed about the administrators' decision, Dean of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Michael J. Klag, reversed the decision to restrict the search term. Full access to the POPLINE database was promptly restored and Dr. Klag has since initiated an inquiry into why and how the block was established.

The Truth About Cell Phones and the Do Not Call Registry

A great article from The Federal Trade Commission

A Garden Within a Library

Downtown Reno Library