The Gov Doc

2012-02-01T11:00:00.001-08:00

Free Tax Assistance

From the Reno Gazette-Journal:

"The Internal Revenue Service has partnered with nonprofit and community organizations to open more than 12,000 free tax preparation sites nationwide for low- to moderate-income and elderly taxpayers." Read the rest here.

Also get free tax help at your local library. WCLS tax assistance schedules for this year are:

Downtown Reno Library: Mondays and Tuesdays, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., February 6-April 10. Walk-ins only.
Northwest Reno Library: Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. - 3 p.m., February 2-April 12. Walk-ins only.
Spanish Springs Library: Thursdays, 1-4 p.m., February 9-April 12. Appointments and walk-ins accepted.

IRS Certified VITA/TCE Volunteer Preparers: Earn It Keep It Save It--A United Way Collaborative:

North Valleys Library: Thursdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., February 2-April 14. Appointments required; can be made in person or call 972-0281.
Sierra View Library: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.., February 2-April 17. Appointments can be made in person.
South Valleys Library: Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., February 1-April 14. Appointments recommended: call 851-5190. Walk-ins are welcome.
Sparks Library: Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., January 28-April 14. Appointments recommended; can be made in person or call 352-3200.

2012-01-10T16:39:00.000-08:00

Computer glitch creating delay in Nevada unemployment insurance benefit payments

From the Reno Gazette-Journal:

On Tuesday, the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) discovered that a computer error is causing issues processing claims for benefits for this week. This issue could result in some claimants receiving their unemployment insurance benefit payments late, said Frank Woodbeck, DETR Director.

See the whole article here.

2011-12-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Obama wants better digital archive of federal records

"President Obama on Monday ordered agencies to make wider use of digital-based record-keeping systems in what aides promise will be the most significant change to government archiving since Harry S. Truman’s presidency...."

See rest of the article here.

2011-11-15T13:16:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has released its first mobile Web application (app), which provides the public with quick, easy access to information on Members of Congress. Based on the Guide to the House and Senate Members and information in the Congressional Pictorial Directory, the app allows users to browse for Members of Congress by last name, state, chamber, or party. Additionally, users can search by first and last name.

Of the new app, Public Printer Bill Boarman says, "GPO has experienced an incredible transformation in its 150 year history from handset type to handheld devices. We are very excited to release our first app for the public and provide a tool that will connect the public with Members of Congress. GPO looks forward to developing more apps in the future to provide the public with new options for accessing Government information."

To access the app on your mobile device, go to <http://m.gpo.gov/memberguide> or scan the QR code with your mobile device that is available at <http://www.gpo.gov/mobile/>.

Supported Devices

* iPad or iPhone (iOS 4.3.3 or higher)
* Android devices (Android 2.1 or higher)
* Blackberry devices (Blackberry 6.0 or higher)

2011-10-12T16:30:00.000-07:00

Farewell, Statistical Abstract.

2011-09-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

A source for free government photos and images

Looking for photographs or images to use that are in the public domain? Start your search at usa.gov with U.S. Government Photos and Images. It includes many images that are in the public domain and can be freely used and that are broken down by topic. See the link here.

(Original article discussing freely available government images ran in Spring /11 Documents to the People by Rebecca Hyde and Lucia Orlando; issue is available here.)

2011-09-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

Historical Map Collection Now Online

From a recent email from the USGS coordinator:

"Nearly 90,000 high resolution scans of the more than 200,000 historical
USGS topographic maps, some dating as far back as 1884, are now available
on-line from the US Geological Survey. The Historical Topographic Map
Collection includes published U.S. topographic maps of all scales and
editions, and are offered as a georeferenced digital download or as a
printed copy from the USGS Store....

Historical maps are an important national resource as they provide the
long-term record and documentation of the natural, physical and cultural
landscape. The history documented by this collection and the analysis of
distribution and spatial patterns is invaluable throughout the sciences
and non-science disciplines. Genealogists, historians, anthropologists,
archeologists and others use this collection for research as well as for a
framework on which a myriad of information can be presented in relation to
the landscape. For more than 130 years, the USGS topographic mapping
program has accurately portrayed the complex geography of our nation
through maps using the lithographic printing process. The historical
collection contains high resolution scanned images from the USGS legacy
series and other sources...."

Check out the collection here.

2011-08-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

S&P may face probe on mortgages

Rating company S&P is being investigated by the Department of Justice for its possible role in the financial collapse.

"Ratings agency Standard & Poor's is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly overrating mortgage-backed securities, whose meltdown led to the 2008 financial crisis, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation. "

Check out the full story on CNN here.

2011-08-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

Newly cataloged FBI files

Check out the new(ish) electronic resource for viewing scans of FBI files as the FBI's "The Vault" page, located here. It includes PDF scans of files on individuals, specific events, groups and happenings that the FBI has investigated over the years.

2011-08-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

State of Nevada launches new website

The State of Nevada's website has a new look! Check it out here.

2011-07-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Bill Passed by House Would Provide No Money for GPO's Federal Digital System, Sharply Cuts Other Information Resources

See the Library Journal article here.

2011-07-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

Change in open record law in NV affecting concealed-carry weapon permits.

Check out the Reno Gazette-Journal editor's take on the change that took effect July 1st, and a previously published article on the change here.

2011-06-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

Nevada State Agencies links

Check out a handy list of Nevada-specific state agency links here.

2011-06-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

US Government Shutting Down Half Its Websites

"The White House is requiring the federal government to cut their 24,000 websites down by half in the next year. This will reduce taxpayer expense, as well as give them easier access to official portals.

The order was made because many of the websites the government currently operates were deemed redundant, out-dated, or hard to use. The Office of Management and Budget has issued a 90-day freeze on new .gov registrations to get the ball rolling. And the Energy Department has already begun to consolidate its sites, saving taxpayers $10 million a year.

In the next 120 days, each governmental agency will have the chance to check out Data.gov to see which sites need saving and which will get the ax. They could call it spring cleaning."

2011-06-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

Apps and sources of information on Congress.

Check out this article that covers some smartphone apps and other sources of information about Congress and its members and happenings.

2011-06-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

USDA updates dietary guidelines, gets rid of the food pyramid

Via CNN: "The food pyramid has been dismantled in favor of a simple plate icon that urges Americans to eat a more plant-based diet.

One half of your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, with whole grains and lean protein on the other half, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Low-fat dairy on the side, such as a cup of skim milk or yogurt, is also suggested.

The new icon, MyPlate is designed to remind Americans to adopt healthier eating habits, in a time when more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese."

You can look at the USDA's revamped MyPlate page here.

2011-05-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

What is FDsys?

For a short and entertaining video, check out the Youtube video put together by The University of Colorado. Here's the link.

2011-04-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

Consumer Services Publications from the state of Nevada

The Nevada Division of Insurance has some great guides for helping consumers navigate the ins and outs of obtaining and evaluating different types of insurance. There's a guide to auto insurance rates, earthquake insurance, flood insurance, home insurance, title insurance, and more. Check out their main page here.

2011-04-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Senators allowed to alter Congressional Record.

Check out this CNN article about a senator's alteration to his statements made on the floor. Certainly some food for thought!

2011-04-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Government Manual is updated!

It's available online here. There's also a great informative post discussing what the Manual IS that was put together by the Federal Register--take a look at that here.

"The United States Government Manual is the official handbook of the Federal Government. (It is)updated to provide comprehensive and authoritative descriptions of the programs and activities of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The Government Manual also includes information about quasi-official agencies, international organizations with U.S. membership, and Federal boards, commissions, and committees."

2011-04-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

A report from the Nevada Controller's Office

This is an interesting and short report that gives a brief overview of the state's revenues and expenses over the last fiscal year. It also discusses the plans and goals for the state's fiscal future.

Check it out here.

2011-03-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

President Obama's speech on Libya

If you'd like to read the transcript of the President's speech it is available here. Or you can view the video here.

2011-03-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

A fun government document that lets kids explore history--

Check out the History Mystery Examiner, an interactive government website that lets kids (or adults) explore mysterious happenings that took place on public lands. Check out the History Mystery Examiner here.

2011-03-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

Reno Gazette-Journal highlights local census results.

Take a look at the article and some interactive charts here.

2011-01-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

Want information on the Nevada Department of Transportation?

Check out their annual factbooks here.

"NDOT produces a helpful and informative Fact Book to provide the Legislature and the public historical and current statistical information describing the department's operations and factors that drive Nevada's multimodal transportation programs."

2011-01-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

USGS National Map Viewer

Want detailed and customizable maps of the United States? Look no further than the National Map Viewer put together by the U.S. Geological Survey.

This map is a complex and powerful tool and FAQs and a quick-start guide are available here.

2011-01-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

Tax help at Washoe County Libraries!

It’s that time of year again – tax season! AARP and IRS Certified VITA/TCE Volunteer Preparers will offer free tax help at the following Washoe County libraries:

* Downtown Reno Library: Mondays and Tuesdays, 12:30-4 p.m., February 1-April 18, no appointments taken.

* North Valleys Library: Thursdays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., February 3-April 14, appointments required; call 972-0281.

* Northwest Reno Library: Wednesdays, 2:30-6:30 p.m., Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., February 2-April 13; no appointments taken, preference given to seniors and low-income individuals.

* Senior Center (Reno Game Room): Mondays and Thursdays, 9-11:30 a.m., February 7-April 14, no appointment necessary.

* Sierra View Library: Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturdays, noon-4 p.m., February 2-April 13, appointments recommended but not required.

* South Valleys Library: Wednesdays, 4-6:30 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., February 2-April 13. Appointments recommended but not required; call 851-5195 to schedule. Preference given to seniors.

* Spanish Springs Library: Thursdays, 1-4 p.m., February 10-April 14, appointments accepted and can be made by calling 424-1800.

• Sparks Library: Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., January 29-April 16. Appointments are required and can be made in person or by calling 352-3205.

For more information and tax help, the public should contact the IRS office at 200 South Virginia St., Reno, NV 89501, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., (775) 824-2218 or www.irs.gov.

2010-11-24T15:36:00.001-08:00

Top government iPhone apps.

Check out this great article on the best government apps to put on your iPhone. They include a TSA app, an app for USA.gov as well as an app for searching for federal jobs.

2010-11-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

Looking for a free and powerful tool for banking and financial information?

Look no further than the FDIC Bank Data Guide.

The FDIC provides a wealth of information from everything to numbers of banks to the banks' holdings themselves and offers many tutorials on how best to navigate its databases.

Check it out!

2010-11-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

Business Opportunity Fraud

Check out a short informative video put together by the FTC about scammers selling bogus business opportunities. See the video here.

2010-10-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

Fun facts from the Census.

Want to see some entertaining information put together by the U.S. Census Bureau? Sometimes Census data can be hard to understand or dry, but these collections of facts will show you some interesting information about American life.

Check it out here.

2010-10-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Check out an eclectic collection of government documents in PDF format at Rummaging in the Government's Attic here.

2010-09-01T10:39:00.001-07:00

An in-depth look at oil spills.

Check out the new electronic government document, Resources on Oil Spills, Response, and Restoration: a Selected Bibliography. Long but informative! See it here.

2010-08-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Check out Thomas on your mobile device!

The legislative website thomas.gov has been optimized for use on your iPhone, Droid, Blackberry or other smartphone. It now displays easily on your mobile-sized screen. Give it a try!

2010-08-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

Library of Congress releases over 1600 color photos taken during the Great Depression.

Check out the gallery here.

2010-08-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

The Washoe County 2010 Street Atlas is online!

Check it out here.

2010-08-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

Everything you wanted to know about historical Reno weather...

...has been published by the government. Check out the document here.

2010-07-11T14:08:00.001-07:00

Nevada Taxpayer's Association

Check out this informative website here. Of special note are their publications which you must buy from them in print format but that are available for free in PDFs on the website. These include Tax Topics and Nevada Issues. The publications are readable, in-depth and Nevada-specific.

2010-06-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

Notable government document at your library.

Check out the blog post on The Sun, The Earth, and Near-Earth Space. This government document was highlighted by Library Journal in 2009 and is owned by the Washoe County Library system.

2010-05-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Library Journal writes about the year's notable government documents.

From the article: "This year's list of Notable Government Documents includes titles on history, government policy, mental and physical health, biology, global warming, and environmental protection, among other topics. The historical works, which comprise nearly one-third of the panel's selections, focus mainly on cultural phenomena, such as architecture and music. While some of the selected works exist only on the Internet or in print, most have both electronic and tangible versions."

Check it out here.

2010-04-29T10:14:00.001-07:00

Need help finding government information?

Try Government Information Online: Ask a Librarian. Check it out here.

" Through Government Information Online (GIO) you can ask government information librarians who are experts at finding information from government agencies of all levels (local, state, regional, national international) on almost any subject from aardvarks to zygomycosis."

2010-04-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

New Public Printer Being Nominated

Check out the press release here.

2010-03-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

Didn't get your Census form?

Beginning April 12, 2010, you should call the Telephone Questionnaire
Assistance center at one of the numbers listed below to obtain a
questionnaire. The phone lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (your
local time) seven days a week through July 30, 2010.

* English 1-866-872-6868
* Spanish 1-866-928-2010
* Chinese 1-866-935-2010
* Korean 1-866-955-2010
* Vietnamese 1-866-945-2010
* Russian 1-866-965-2010

For the hearing-impaired, dial TDD 1-866-783-2010 (during the times
noted above.)

2010-03-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Have questions about the new health care legislation?

Click here for the text of the legislation as well as discussion of it in the Congressional Record. See a break-down of votes here too.

2010-03-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

C-Span archives available online

Check out the New York Times article about C-Span's archives here.

Check out the archives here.

2010-03-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

A new, easier way to search the Federal Register.

Check out govpulse.us. It's "a fast, easy-to-use, open-source interface to the Federal Register. In addition to the features provided by Regulations.gov, GovPulse.us provides a variety of visualizations by topic and agency. Further, GovPulse.us is location-aware, making it possible to easily find articles that mention areas that interest you. Citations in the full text are analyzed and hyperlinked, so for any given topic or agency
you can see the most cited articles, or for any article see at a glance everything that cites it. Powerful search functionality allows you to drill down to what you're interested in--and then subscribe to the
results via RSS."

2010-02-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

Nevada Legislature Special Session

Here's the link for bill tracking though the legislature's special session.

2010-02-24T15:57:00.000-08:00

Government applications for your iPhone

This website suggests some government apps for your iPhone if you've got one!

Check it out!

2010-02-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

The Economic Report of the President, 2010 is now available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. It is issued by the Executive Office of the President and the Council of Economic Advisers and transmitted to Congress no later than ten days after the submission of the Budget of the United States Government.

The Economic Report of the President includes:

1. Current and foreseeable trends and annual numerical goals concerning topics such as employment, production, real income, and Federal budget outlays;

2. Employment objectives for significant groups of the labor force;

3. Annual numeric goals;

4. And a program for carrying out program objectives.

Also included is the Annual Report of the Council of Economic Advisers.
Each year, the Council of Economic Advisers submits this report on its activities during the previous calendar year in accordance with the requirements of Congress as set forth in section 10(d) of the Employment Act of 1946 as amended by the Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1978.

The Economic Report of the President is available from GPO's Federal Digital System at: http://fdsys.gpo.gov. Documents are available in ASCII text and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).

2010-01-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

Obama issues order on document classification.

"...the new Order adopts a number of additional changes in standards, procedures, and deadlines designed to promote greater openness and transparency in the Federal Government’s classification and declassification programs. "

2009-12-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

Space Nutrition: a government document for kids

Check out this fun and extensive government document put out by NASA that teaches elementary school children all about space, astronauts, and the effects of going into space on the body. It's complete with word games and fun facts!

Check out all the newsletter here!

2009-11-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

New U.S. Government Manual available online.

"As the official handbook of the Federal Government, the United States Government Manual provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. It also includes information on quasi-official agencies, international organizations in which the United States participates, and boards, commissions, and committees. The Manual begins with reprints of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The new edition of the Manual is available annually in late summer."

Check it out here.

2009-11-22T15:16:00.000-08:00

A government document for kids....

Government documents are created for all kinds of users. Here, check out an example of an informative set of pages about water put together by the U.S. Geological Survey; it covers the basics of water use, questions about the water cycle, diagrams, a glossary, and lots of links. Check it out here!

2009-11-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

U.S. Department of Education publication

Interested in finding out more about available education programs?

"The guide contains a succint profile of more than 225 programs, with information on funding amount and number of grant awards available, a program description, types of projects and more.

"Information on appropriations and awards for programs that receive funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is included as well. Among programs profiled are those intended for pre-K through adult education levels, including elementary and secondary, postsecondary, career and technical, as well as programs with an emphasis on federal student aid, international education, safe and drug-free schools, school improvement, and special education and rehabilitation."

Check out the PDF version of this new document here.

2009-11-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

Notable Government Documents in Library Journal

"Each year the Notable Documents Panel of the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) selects about 40 titles issued by intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and governments at all levels (foreign national, and U.S. federal, state, and local). Works in all formats are fair game, as are items published for IGOs and governments by private publishers. What’s the point of all this? To raise the profile of government information."

Take a look at a discussion of some of last year's notable documents here.

2009-10-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

The bipartisan Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism has released a new report. The report "The Clock is Ticking: A Progress Report on America's Preparedness to Prevent Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism" looks at the US government's attempts to address threats and their assessment is that the US is failing to address its most urgent threat - bioterrorism.

The report can be found directly at http://www.preventwmd.gov/static/docs/report/WMDRpt10-20Final.pdf or from the Commission's website -- http://www.preventwmd.gov/

Their earlier report "World at Risk" can be found at http://www.preventwmd.gov/report/

2009-10-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

WASHOE COUNTY WINS national DIGITAL GOVERNMENT AWARD

Washoe County has been recognized as a winner for its use of technology in the national Center for Digital Government’s 2009 Digital Counties Survey in the 250,000 to 499,000 population category.

The 2009 Digital Counties Survey is an annual study by the Center and the National Association of Counties (NACo), which identifies best practices and recognizes those counties with exemplary digital service to their citizens by embracing new technologies to involve citizens, moving toward transparent government and increasing green and sustainable measures, while continuing to improve online services.

“Our County Commission and employees recognize the power of technology in meeting the public service needs of our community,” Washoe County Manager Katy Simon observed. “Citizens expect their local governments to provide services 24/7 through the use of technology, and this national award recognizes Washoe County’s progress toward meeting those expectations.”

Please visit www.washoecounty.us to learn more about Washoe County services. For more information about the Digital Counties Survey, please visit: www.centerdigitalgov.com/

2009-10-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

The October 2009 issue of the NTIS Technical Reports Newsletter is now available from http://www.ntis.gov/pdf/ntrnews2-4.pdf.

In this issue we feature the NTIS subject categories Problem Solving Information for State & Local Governments (43), Communication (45), Computers, Control & Information Theory (62), and Administration & Management (70).

Previous issues of the Newsletter are available from http://www.ntis.gov/rss/NTRnews.aspx.

Keep up with the newest information available from NTIS on a daily basis by following us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ntisinfo.

2009-10-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

The 2nd annual LSCM Year in Review has been released and addresses topics including digitization, strategic planning, the ILS, authentication, automated metadata extraction, marketing, the FDLP Desktop, the Federal Depository Library Handbook, and more.

The 2009 LSCM Year in Review is available electronically on the FDLP Desktop at <http://www.fdlp.gov/component/docman/doc_download/1067-lscm-fy2009-year-in-review>

2009-10-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

House takes step toward opening the CRS

From ALA.

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) recently introduced a bill, H.R. 3762, into the House of Representatives to make published Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports available to the public via the Internet.

More than $100 million tax dollars are spent each year to fund CRS, which generates detailed reports for Congressional lawmakers and their staff. This bipartisan legislation, introduced with fellow freshman Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), would make published CRS reports available to the public in an effort to increase transparency and help citizens become more informed and engaged advocates.

This recent House activity complements Senate Resolution 118, introduced by Sen. Lieberman (I-CT) in April 2009.

2009-10-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Government websites receives recognition from RUSA.

A few government websites were highlighted in RUSA's Best Reference Web Sites of 2009.

RUSA says of the EPA site, "Well organized, very interactive, and full of information for all, the EPA site offers news, local information, teacher resources, multimedia (videos, photos, audios), resources, and even a trivia quiz, all accessible from the homepage. The “For Youth” section includes tabs for elementary, middle, and high school students while “Work with Us” offers career, grant, and contract information. The site shows lots of depth, too, with navigation tabs for “Learn the Issues”, “Science & Technology”, “Laws & Regulations”, “Newsroom”, and “About EPA”; each is a treasure trove of information in itself, adding to the usefulness and comprehensiveness of the site. "

Check out the page here.

RUSA says of the White House site: "With prominent links to the President’s Weekly Address, the National Budget, and the economic recovery plan, the searchable site also provides links for both current news (“The Briefing Room”), the administration’s “Agenda” (nicely narrowed by topic), and ways to learn about “Our Government”, especially the Executive Branch. “The Administration” lists the President, First Lady, Cabinet members, White House Staff and even the Vice-President and his wife; “About the White House” tours the building itself and its former residents, Air Force One, and Camp David. "

Check out the page here.

RUSA says of the World Health Organization site: "The web site of the World Health Organization (WHO) tracks current international health emergencies and disease outbreaks, and offers extensive information on diseases and health issues affecting the global population. Visitors to the site will find an interactive Global Health Atlas with mapping interface, statistical databases covering the health status of each WHO member country, and full-text access to WHO’s publications, including journals, reports, and bulletins. The web site’s Fact Sheets provide excellent overviews of various international health topics and are an ideal resource for high-school and college students beginning their research. "

Check out the page here.

Check out RUSA's other Best Reference Sites here.

2009-10-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

The White House, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and the National Archives' Office of the Federal Register (OFR) achieved a breakthrough in making Government information available and usable by the public. GPO converted the text of the Federal Register (2000-2009) into XML (extensible markup language) and placed it online in numerous Federal Government portals, which include: GPO's Federal Digital System <www.fdsys.gov>, The Federal Register Web site <www.federalregister.gov> and the Government's new portal for Government data <www.data.gov>. This project began when President Barack Obama challenged Federal agencies to create a more open and transparent Government. GPO's Federal Digital System (FDsys), a world-class information management system for Federal publications, is instrumental in enabling this enhanced capability for the Federal Register.

"The transformation, undertaken by the Government Printing Office and the National Archives and Records Administration, vastly increases the Federal Register's usefulness to the American public and further opens the curtains on the inner workings of Government, a major goal of the Obama Administration," said Beth Noveck, Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Open Government.

The change supplements the official publishing formats with XML, a form of text that can be manipulated in virtually limitless ways with digital applications. For example, people who want to know about the workings of the Executive branch of the Federal Government no longer need to sift through the Federal Register in its traditional Department-by-Department and Agency-by-Agency format. This new format will allow applications to be developed that will support user needs and can rearrange the Federal Register's contents in personalized ways to match their particular interests. It will be possible, for example, to download the Federal Register and easily see what proposed actions might affect one's community or region, or what actions might have an impact on one's profession or business interests.

"Providing ten years of Federal Register data in a format that is easy to manipulate is an exciting and ground-breaking development," said Ray Mosley, Director of the Federal Register. "This paves the way for consumers, rather than Government officials to be in charge of deciding how to access critical information. The Government Printing Office and the Office of the Federal Register accomplished a minor miracle in warp-speed time."

"I want to congratulate GPO employees who worked with The White House and the Office of Federal Register in providing the American people the tools to provide openness and transparency to the documents of our democracy," said Public Printer Bob Tapella. "GPO's Federal Digital System not only provides transparency to our Government, but provides Americans a permanent repository of authentic Federal Government information."
We look forward to seeing all of the new digital applications created by resourceful citizens using the XML files. You can access the Federal Register Bulk Data Repository at <http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/bulkdata/FR>. Let us know about any new applications you discover using the XML files and what you think about this initiative by posting your comments on the blog.

2009-10-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

National Information Literacy Awareness Month

"Every day, we are inundated with vast amounts of information. A 24-hour news cycle and thousands of global television and radio networks, coupled with an immense array of online resources, have challenged our long-held perceptions of information management. Rather than merely possessing data, we must also learn the skills necessary to acquire, collate, and evaluate information for any situation. This new type of literacy also requires competency with communicationtechnologies, including computers and mobile devices that can help in our day-to-day decisionmaking. National Information Literacy Awareness Month highlights the need for all Americans to be adept in the skills necessary to effectively navigate the Information Age.

Though we may know how to find the information we need, we must also know how to evaluate it. Over the past decade, we have seen a crisis of authenticity emerge. We now live in a world where anyone can publish an opinion or perspective, whether true or not, and have that opinion amplified within the information marketplace. At the same time, Americans have unprecedented access to the diverse and independent sources of information, as well as institutions such as libraries and universities, that can help separate truth from fiction and signal from noise.

Our Nation's educators and institutions of learning must be aware of -- and adjust to -- these new realities. In addition to the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic, it is equally important that our students are given the tools required to take advantage of the information available to them. The ability to seek, find, and decipher information can be applied to countless life decisions, whether financial, medical, educational, or technical.
This month, we dedicate ourselves to increasing information literacy awareness so that all citizens understand its vital importance. An informed and educated citizenry is essential to the functioning of our modern democratic society, and I encourage educational and community institutions across the country to help Americans find and evaluate the information they seek, in all its forms.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2009 as National Information Literacy Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the important role information plays in our daily lives, and appreciate the need for a greater understanding of its impact.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth."

2009-09-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the Cyber Cemetary?

It's a partnership between the Government Printing Office and the University of North Texas that provides access to defunct government websites. "The Cyber Cemetery archives sites when commissions or panels expire, allowing the online work of defunct government bodies to live on and remain accessible to the public. "

Check out the AP news story about the service here.

2009-09-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

A neat resource put out by the National Park Service...

Click here for the 2009-2011 National Parks Index. It lists parks by state or area, gives a small description, and lists contact information.

2009-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Washington Post releases war assessment of the Afghan war by Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

Read the Washington Post article about the assessment here. View the redacted assessment here.

The Washington Post says:

"The assessment offers an unsparing critique of the failings of the Afghan government, contending that official corruption is as much of a threat as the insurgency to the mission of the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, as the U.S.-led NATO coalition is widely known.

"The weakness of state institutions, malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and ISAF's own errors, have given Afghans little reason to support their government," McChrystal says."

2009-09-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know Google has its own government search page?

Try it here!

Read what the American Library Association has to say about the new legislation having to do with the PATRIOT Act here

2009-09-17T15:12:00.001-07:00

Want to learn about the Government Printing Office's new website?

GPO has posted some tutorials for searching its updated (and work in progress) website, FDSys. Check them out here.

The tutorials include the background on the FDSys website, simple and advanced searches as well as browsing.

2009-09-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

New issue of the National Technical Information Service Technical Reports Newsletter is available here.

It features " subject categories Natural Resources & Earth Sciences (48), Environmental Pollution & Control (68), Urban & Regional Technology & Development (91) and Energy (97)."

Previous issues are available here.

2009-09-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Interested in National Intelligence?

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has released the National Intelligence Strategy for 2009.

The Intelligence Strategy is "the blueprint that will drive the priorities for the nation's 16 intelligence agencies over the next 4 years. The National Intelligence Strategy (NIS) is one of the most important documents for the Intelligence Community (IC) as it lays out the strategic environment, sets priorities and objectives, and guides current and future decisions on budgets, acquisitions, and operations. "

The strategy includes coverage of the office's goals and objectives and discusses strategies to prevent terrorism both inside and outside the United States.

2009-09-14T15:52:00.000-07:00

Do you know about OPAL?

From their website:

"OPAL is an international collaborative effort by libraries and other organizations of all types to provide web-based programs and training for library users and library staff members.

These live events are held in online rooms where participants can interact via voice-over-IP, text chatting, synchronized browsing, and more.

Everyone is welcome to participate in OPAL programs. Usually there is no need to register. Nearly all OPAL programs are offered free of charge.

Examples of OPAL public online programs include book discussion programs, interviews, special events, library training, memoir writing workshops, and virtual tours of special digital library collections."

Even better, and more relevant for the purposes of this blog, the Government Printing Office has its own training and programs available through OPAL. These programs address topics like the Federal Depository Library Program, how to use and effective search the GPO's websites, presentations on preserving materials, geology librarianship, GIS maps and more.

Check out the GPO's presentations here

2009-09-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Did you know...

...that September is Recovery Month? From "about Recovery Month":

"The Recovery Month observance highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, lauds the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. The observance also encourages citizens to take action to help expand and improve the availability of effective substance abuse treatment for those in need. Each year a new theme, or emphasis, is selected for the observance.

Recovery Month provides a platform to celebrate people in recovery and those who serve them. Each September, thousands of treatment programs around the country celebrate their successes and share them with their neighbors, friends, and colleagues in an effort to educate the public about treatment, how it works, for whom, and why. Substance abuse treatment providers have made significant accomplishments, having transformed the lives of untold thousands of Americans. These successes often go unnoticed by the broader population; therefore, Recovery Month provides a vehicle to celebrate these successes.

Recovery Month also serves to educate the public on substance abuse as a national health crisis, that addiction is a treatable disease, and that recovery is possible. Recovery Month highlights the benefits of treatment for not only the affected individual, but for their family, friends, workplace, and society as a whole. Educating the public reduces the stigma associated with addiction and treatment. Accurate knowledge of the disease helps people to understand the importance of supporting treatment programs, those who work within the treatment field, and those in need of treatment."

This year's theme is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Learn, Together We Heal.” To check out the toolkit put together for this year's recovery month, click here

2009-09-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

More State of Nevada electronic documents.

Check out the Annual Fire Statistics Report for Nevada; the newest one up is from 2006. This highly detailed PDF gives the percentage of instances per fire department including the kinds of calls, the number and type of staff involved in every call, as well as any injuries and the cost of responding to each fire. Did you know 21.28% of all fires started in Nevada began in an engine, gear or wheel area? Or that a male is involved 72.41% of the time in a fire? The report also gives detailed break-downs of causes of fires.

As detailed as the fire statistics are, we can study equally detailed statistics of crime in Nevada in the Crime and Justice in Nevada Reports. Each PDF gives detailed crime information for each year. For example, in the state there is a murder every one day and fourteen hours, and one crime of arson every thireteen hours and forty-three minutes. The PDFs include detailed charts and graphs that compare specific types of crimes from one year to the next.

The Nevada Supreme Court publishes its advance opinions online here. Opinions are posted online for ninety days and are given in PDF and HTML format.

And finally for the day, you can read the quarterly newsletter put out by the Nevada State Railroad Museum online too. The newsletter is available going back to 2001 and includes photos, oral history essays, muesum events and highlights of both staff and members of the Museum.

2009-09-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

Check out this link to GovFresh.

It has live feeds of various government news from all the branches of the government as well as agencies like the CDC, the CIA, governmental departments like the Department of Agriculture, Homeland Security, and education.

It describes itself: "GovFresh features Gov 2.0 news, TV, ideas and live feeds of official U.S. Government social media activity, all in one place."

Here's a fun sample: watch a government-sponsored public service announcement with Elmo and seceratary of state Kathleen Sebelius.

2009-09-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

A whimsical use for government documents.

The following link was posted on the Government Documents listserv: The Gonzales Cantata

See one columnist's thoughts on the opera here.

2009-09-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

Some new Nevada electronic documents.

Although a lot of government documents are put out by the federal government (because the Government Printing Office is one of the largest single publishers in the world), we also try to focus on state-published documents because, hey, those are put out by government too.

Here are a few electronic documents published out of Nevada:

Nevada HealthNet: this project is sponsored by the University of Nevada School of Medivine, Savitt Medical Library. The resources were hand-picked by medical library staff. Look here for local health services and resources. It's free!

Taxpayers' Bill of Rights: this file is put together by the Nevada Department of Taxation. It gives a quick rundown of your rights as a taxpayer and includes contact telephone numbers and addresses for if you need help.

State of Nevada Register of Administrative Regulations: this page gives you year-by-year regulations going back to 1999. You can look up regulations by subject or by number and read the full text of each regulation. It also provides an alphabetical list of agency names so you can tell which agencies are affected by new or different regulations.

Nevada Traffic Crash Data: although the newest data on this page is from 2006, there's an update coming this fall. In this publication the Nevada Department of Transportation provides incredibly detailed information on car crashes in Nevada: how many collisions, severity of collisions, types of vehicles involved, whether alcohol or drugs were involved, demographics of drivers involved in crashes, even pedestrian and bicycle collisions.

This is kind of a grab-bag post to give you an idea of the kinds of government information your local Nevada government has available online!

2009-09-02T13:28:00.001-07:00

Want a really excellent guide to finding common United States documents online? Click here.

Purdue University Library has a links page for national government information that covers tax forms, criminal statistics, national park listings, military personnel records, and tons more.

They also provide top-notch research guides on a variety of topics. Not sure how to find government documents about a particular subject? They've got guides on aviation, budget issues, housing, taxes and more. These guides give you subjects terms to use in a library catalog and extensive online resources. Check it out!

2009-09-01T15:59:00.000-07:00

Nevada Parole Board documents on Phillip Garrido, abductor of Jaycee Lee Dugard are available online through the Reno Gazette-Journal; click here.

2009-09-01T11:12:00.001-07:00

Trying to access government documents online?

Last week the Government Printing Office's permanant URL ("PURL") server crashed. This means that for the last week and probably for awhile to come, you won't be able to access many online government documents. Though the GPO is working on it, it spells serious trouble for open and free public access. Here's the latest that the GPO has to say on the crash, from the government document listserv:

"Since last Monday (August 24th), when the PURL server suffered a significant hardware failure, GPO staff has been working at the highest level of priority to re-establish server access.

Though the hardware configuration was restored, GPO has worked continuously, including this past weekend, to restore the system software configurations for this legacy application. Thus far this has resulted in re-established access to a small percentage of PURLs. Although back-ups of critical files ensured no loss of data, the reconfiguration of the software on the new server is still being enabled. GPO's approach is to properly construct a new configuration and to restore all the PURLs to enable use of the automated resolution process. GPO recognizes the criticality of having stable and redundant systems to access online content for the information community.

GPO knows that many institutions have automated URL checkers that run against the PURL server. Please be aware that the PURL restoration process is severely slowed by checkers repeatedly hitting the PURL server.

On- and off-site redundant back-up of all critical hardware and systems is and will continue to be performed by GPO. Additionally, GPO is exploring hosted services and expansion of real time failover capability. GPO is also finalizing requirements for migrating legacy applications, like PURLs, to FDsys for later system capability releases. Once FDsys is fully enabled, GPO will have migrated into a more modern and scalable/failover infrastructure.

The New Electronic Titles (NET) service will be delayed until the PURLs resolve properly. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused by the PURL server outage. Additional postings will be made to keep the community informed as restoration of the server progresses."

This crash is causing a lot of discussion about the best way to preserve public access to government information in the face of technology snafus. Read one librarian's thoughts here: http://freegovinfo.info/node/2704 Mentioned in his post are widely-held concerns that upcoming and ongoing changes to the Government Printing Office's website won't prevent technology crashes from happening in the future.

Please be aware that we are still dedicated to getting you the information you need; it just might take a little longer!

2009-06-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

The new Gov Doc - Just married

2009-06-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

The Govdoc's office is empty. The Govdocster is retiring. Hail to Aurora Partridge,the new Govdoc.

2009-06-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

HOT: New County website on the fire services master plan. Visit http://www.washoecounty.us/mgrsoff/fireplan.html.

FIRE SERVICES MASTER PLAN SURVEY AND TOWN HALL

A first for Washoe County, the Fire Services Master Plan is being developed through a public process incorporating the comments of partnering agencies and citizens. The plan is a thoughtful, strategic view for providing fire service and fire service-based emergency medical response for 300,000 households within the service area of Sierra Fire Protection District, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, and rural non-incorporated Washoe County communities.

To help with the creation of our Fire Services and fire related emergency services, please join us for town hall meeting. The meeting is scheduled for June 17, 6:00 p.m. in the Washoe County Chambers, 1001 E. 9th Street, Reno, Nevada.

Additional information is available online at http://www.washoecounty.us/mgrsoff/fireplan.html.

2009-06-09T12:53:00.001-07:00

The Nevada Department of Business and Industry has developed a great tool for homeowners who may be underwater in their home. It’s called the Nevada Foreclosure Information Workbook, and it’s intended to educate homeowners on the foreclosure process. It is very thorough and provides answers to practically any question you may have regarding a foreclosure situation. This 44-page workbook also contains worksheets, contact lists, checklists and a log. If you are facing a potential foreclosure situation I believe you will find this workbook very useful. Click here.

2009-05-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

From The Washington Post

Review of Government Secrecy Ordered
Obama Names Holder, Napolitano to Lead Drive for 'Unprecedented Level of Openness'

By Carrie Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 28, 2009

President Obama directed his national security adviser and senior Cabinet officials yesterday to examine whether the government keeps too much information secret.

In a memo, Obama acknowledged that too many documents have been kept from the public eye for years and affirmed that he remains "committed to operating with an unprecedented level of openness."

Obama asked national security adviser James L. Jones to canvass executive branch officials about their procedures for handling classified information and to make recommendations about better information sharing.

The president also said that turf battles and problems with technology continue to pose obstacles to disseminating unclassified national security information among federal agencies with their partners in states and the private sector.

To help clear the path, Obama created a task force yesterday to study that and related issues for 90 days, putting Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano at the helm.

Government officials representing a broad swath of agencies will review procedures for labeling and sharing sensitive information to make sure that the needs of law enforcement, privacy and civil liberties "strike the proper balance," the memo said.

Obama also proposed a National Declassification Center to streamline procedures for releasing classified information, when appropriate, under the guidance of the archivist of the United States. The broad initiative is in line with an executive order issued by Obama on Jan. 21, when he promised to move forward with "a presumption in favor of openness."

Instructions to Jones made specific reference to Bush administration orders that delayed automatic declassification dates, eliminated a presumption of declassification that dated from the Clinton administration and reclassified some information that had been made public.

Obama asked for recommendations on "the possible restoration of the presumption against classification" that would preclude making something secret where there was "significant doubt" about the need to do so. It also raised the possibility of a "prohibition of reclassification of material that has been declassified and released to the public under proper authority."

Steven Aftergood, director of the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists, praised the move as a way to "set the wheels in motion."

"This is music to the ears of many of us," Aftergood said, "but the hard work remains to be done -- how to translate these goals into policies."

Staff writer Karen DeYoung contributed to

2009-05-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

More on Government Youtube Channel

From James Jacobs of FGI

Submitted by jajacobs on Tue, 2009-05-26 08:01.

Last week, we posted a note about the government Youtube channel, youtube.com/usgovernment. Today, the American Historical Association describes the playlist section of the site. (Ask not what YouTube can do for you..., By Elisabeth Grant, AHA Today, May 26, 2009).

These channels bring together videos on a particular topic from different agencies. For example, the Health and Nutrition channel has videos from the CDC, the Senate, the State Department, and the FDA.

This is a very nice and appropriate service and we like that the government is using popular sites like Youtube to reach Americans with its information.

But we also know that a short-term service is not the same as long-term preservation. Preservation of multimedia is still a big issue. When videos are hosted only on .com sites, it is not always clear that the material can be easily identified and downloaded. (The YouTube Terms of Service says, in part, "You shall not copy or download any User Submission unless you see a “download” or similar link displayed by YouTube on the YouTube Website for that User Submission.")

The proprietary formats of streaming videos can make it more complex to preserve them in an open format that will guarantee their long-term usability.

Some videos may have been created under contracts that allow the content to be copyrighted or may contain "poison pill" copyright content that makes it difficult or impossible to legally preserve or reuse the whole video.

The government has yet to develop a comprehensive policy for depositing digital government information into libraries and archives. Many Federal Depository libraries have been reluctant to accept digital content and the Government Printing Office has been actively arrogating to itself the job of being the sole repository of government information. This is dangerous because every digital depository is vulnerable to technological, social, budgetary, and economic problems and the best solution is to have multiple repositories.

A digital Federal Depository Library program could help solve many of these issues.

2009-05-10T11:19:00.001-07:00

On April 17-19, 2009 the annual national Indian Education Conference was held in Norman, Oklahoma. Janet Scheitle, U.S. Government Printing Office, and I staffed an exhibit booth that featured not only the full range of GPO giveaways, but also books contributed by the Library of Congress's surplus program. Janet, Tilley Dewey, Librarian for the College of Muscogee Nation, Okmulgee, OK, and I also gave a 75-minute presentation about the FDLP and why tribal libraries and tribal college libraries should be interested in joining it.

I had also prepared a webliography that consisted of every Federal agency Indian office and program that I could discover or remember, along with a few general interest websites. Sadie Mattox, a member of our library's webteam, turned my list of A-Z links into a useful website organized by topics that we named for the conference (note: my original A-Z list of links is still available on the website). As of today we have renamed it /Federal Websites for Tribal Libraries and Tribal College Libraries/ and now want to share it with you. Earlier today I shared it with the AILA's (American Indian Library Association) listserve, and got two suggested links that I had missed from the IMLS; I'll add them. I will also add the revised CFDA.gov website now that it's once again available. Please send me any suggested Indian office and program websites that I've missed at sbeleu@oltn.odl.state.ok.us

Here is the website--
http://www.oklibshare.org/ieclinks.htm

2009-05-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

THOMAS Launches First RSS Feed:
The Daily Digest is now available as the first RSS feed from THOMAS (http://thomas.loc.gov/home/rss/dd.xml). Over 15,000 people have received notification of the new THOMAS RSS feed. The Daily Digest feed from THOMAS is one of five RSS feeds available from the Law Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov/law/news/rss.php). Since the launch of the RSS feeds, the Law Library of Congress website has been referenced on an increasing number of websites.

2009-04-30T08:43:00.001-07:00

On a sad note from North Carolina State University:

Folks,

The time has come for me to end my employment at NCSU. Today is my last day of work. There are no plans to continue the Congressional Bibliographies. There has been but one nibble of a suggestion from another library to continue this work, and I have heard nothing from that institution since an initial exchange three months ago.

The Congressional Bibliographies has always been a one-person project (with a bit of occasional help from computing staff, and weekly assistance from work-study students). Its files are now static. How long NCSU will provide access to them, I do not know. Access to Congressional Bib pages via the Internet Archive is incomplete. I have requested that IA crawl the Congressional Bibs for the Wayback Machine.

My last updates are only these:

- 111th Congress (2009) House and Senate Digest files. Updated through April 29. I'm sorry that the site will not include today's Digest entries.

- 110th Congress (2007-2008) Hearings files. I added 298 hearings on April 8.

I urge you to look at the listing by Committee at http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/congbibs/senate/110hrc.html
and observe these matters:

Banking - 2 hearings reported
Commerce - 9 hearings
Environment - 1 hearing
What's going on here? These three committees aren't publishing their hearings. Why not?

I wish I could be encouraging about the future of the Congressional Bibs, but I can't. The NCSU Libraries is, I fear, in serious trouble.

Four reference librarians have been told their contracts will not be renewed in the coming fiscal year - 2 night reference staff, the Biology librarian, and myself. Instead of retaining experienced employees, the director prefers to hire "enthusiastic" new library school graduates.

Reference and instructional services, it appears, are among those the director has declared "dying or dead." She dismantled the government documents department years ago. It appears she will close the Natural Resources Library, and the main library's Media/Microforms room. She has reassigned supervisory staff from the Digital Media Lab to other departments. At the same time she has opened an ice cream parlor in the main library.

The time has come for me to leave what has become a sad, sick parody of a research library. This ship is sinking fast.

I opened my first depository box in 1965. It was like opening a Christmas present. I have not had a documents librarian's duties for ten years, and the Congressional Bibs has been the only way I've been able to contribute to the documents community. I'm sorry to leave this dedicated group of professionals.

Should anyone wish to contact me, this NCSU email address will remain active.

Best wishes.

Jack McGeachy

--

John A. McGeachy
Social Sciences Reference Librarian
Research & Information Services Department Campus Box 7111 North Carolina State University
Raleigh, N.C. 27695-7111

(919) 513-0444 phone
(919) 515-8264 fax

Jack_McGeachy@ncsu.edu
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/staff/jam3

2009-04-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

How has the current economic downturn changed what's happening at your library? Have your patrons needs changed? Staff needs? Your own personal/professional needs? The Library Research Service wants to know (and plans to share what they find). They just launched a 60-Second Survey - Libraries and the Economic Recession.

Please take a minute to respond at:

http://surveys.lrs.org/respond.php?sid=56

2009-04-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

"Digital Archives That Disappear"

Google purchased "Paper of Record," a Web site popular with historians and other scholars. Now the site is gone, and although it may be about to return, researchers are furious.

2009-04-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

Try Earthday.gov, A portal for U.S. Government information and issues

2009-04-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Report Details Pentagon Role in Torture Tactics

2009-04-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

CIC-Google Government Documents Project

The libraries of the CIC universities are partnering with Google to digitize a comprehensive collection of U.S. Federal Documents. It is believed this collection will comprise between 1 and 1.5 million volumes.
The workflow and scanning process for the initiative is being tested by the University of Minnesota, which is sending Google a substantial number of duplicate holdings from its St. Paul campus. Digital facsimiles of successfully scanned Federal Documents from Minnesota -- and eventually other CIC institutions -- will be returned to the HathiTrust Digital Repository, where public domain material can be universally accessed.

This project is part of an overarching CIC Library Director-led initiative to assess the opportunities HathiTrust might provide for more cost-effective management of less frequently used print resources. With three CIC universities designated as comprehensive Regional Depositories for print documents (Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin), it is anticipated the Selective Depositories might be in a position to make coordinated decisions about print retention. The U.S. Federal Documents collection is one of several categories of material where our libraries believe they can achieve efficiencies by better managing the relationship between digital and print resources, with assurances that an adequate number of print copies are available for future use.

The CIC Library Directors have charged the CIC Steering Committee on Federal Documents Digitization with responsibility to plan this initiative.
A principles document has been developed to provide additional information on the project basics. Comments and questions are welcomed and may be directed to the Steering Committee co-chairs, Kirsten Clark
(clark881@umn.edu) and Marianne Ryan (marianne@purdue.edu), or other members of the committee.

2009-04-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

Nevada Library Legislative Day

2009-03-31T08:14:00.001-07:00

Urgent Call to Action!
Sign onto Dear Colleague supporting library funding by Congressman Grijalva!

Please contact your Representative and ask him or her to sign the "Dear Colleague" letter being circulated by Congressman Raul Grijalva in support of funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program.

The deadline to sign the letter is Wednesday April 1! LSTA and Improving Literacy Through School Libraries are two of the most important federal programs for libraries today. The letter will not be taken seriously, and it will appear as if Members of Congress do not care about libraries if we don't have hundreds of signers on the letter.
Programs that don't have a vocal support network are in danger of being cut.

The letter is addressed to the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriation Subcommittees and requests that the House include $300 million for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and $100 million for the Improving Literary Through School Libraries program for FY 2010.

When you contact your Representative, you must ask him or her to call Joseph Mais in order to co-sign the letter at 202.225.2435.

http://capwiz.com/ala/issues/alert/?alertid=13037141

2009-03-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

AARP free tax help at Washoe County's Main Library

2009-03-18T15:30:00.001-07:00

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (stimulus) site recovery.gov has a 'new' map with links to each state's recovery web page that helps explain how they are spending funds allocated by the Recovery Act: http://www.recovery.gov/?q=content/state-recovery-page

Also

The Department of Education's Economic Stimulus webpage:

http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html

U.S. Department of Labor announced funding for employment and training programs under American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20090249.htm

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Wagner-Peyser funding under the Recovery Act: initial plans ETA has developed for implementing these programs under the Recovery Act. Formal guidance is forthcoming.

http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=2717

2009-02-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

Testing the Blackjack II

2009-02-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

From Stimulus Watch:

Nevada's wish list for stimulus funds

2009-02-18T09:21:00.000-08:00

From: Emily Sheketoff

Completing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was a long and arduous process for the Obama Administration and the new Congress. Now that President Obama has signed the bill into law, our nation can begin the journey of restoring our economic stability through the programs and initiatives this law will make possible.

Throughout the process of creating this law, the library community demonstrated a steadfast commitment to the American public by working to inform our leaders in Washington about the programs and services libraries across the country are providing to help America get back to work, such as assistance with resume building and online job searching as well as free classes to teach the public 21st century job skills.

With many opportunities available to libraries through the stimulus bill, the library community must continue our efforts to educate our elected officials on the benefits of investing in libraries - focusing now on the state level.

Implementing the law will no doubt be as complex a process as creating it, and for this reason the ALA Washington Office has created www.ala.org/knowyourstimulus as a one-stop source with resources on how to make sure libraries benefit from the package and the most up-to-date information on the stimulus. As information becomes available, the ALA Washington Office will post updates on this page with details, such as how funding will be distributed and how to apply.

We have compiled a list of the programs that libraries can benefit from included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More information will be posted on each section as it becomes available.

$7.2 billion for Broadband
This includes $2.5 billion for Rural Utilities Service and $4.7 billion for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) broadband grant program to increase broadband access and usage in underserved areas of the nation. This includes $200 million in competitive grants for expanding public computer capacity at public libraries and community college libraries. Additionally, this includes $650 million for DTV, of which $90 million may be used by organizations, including libraries, for education and outreach to vulnerable populations including one-on-one assistance for box installation.

$53.6 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund This program includes $48 billion in block grants allocated among the states. But of each state's allocation, 81.8 percent is reserved for education and 18.2 percent is reserved for the governor to use as he or she sees fit. $39.5 billion for education using existing funding formulas, which can be used for preventing cutbacks, preventing layoffs, school modernization (school libraries will benefit from this), or other purposes and $8.8 billion for state fiscal relief for high-priority needs such as public safety and other critical services (including public libraries), renovation and repairs of public school facilities and institutions of higher education facilities. Encouraging state officials to invest the funds they receive from Congress in public and school libraries will be critical. It is also important to note that with the billions of dollars states are receiving, there should be no need for drastic state cutbacks in services.

An additional $120 million for the Senior Community Service Employment Program This funding will provide community service jobs at nonprofit and public facilities, including libraries, for an additional 24,000 older Americans. The Senior Community Service Employment Program is a community service and work-based training program for older workers. Program participants are placed in a wide variety of community service positions at non-profit and public facilities, including daycare centers, senior centers, governmental agencies, schools, hospitals, libraries and landscaping centers. There are currently 74 grantees. Grant awards are made to 18 national nonprofit organizations and 56 state and territorial governments. In most states, the governor has selected the State Office on Aging to administer the program. The contact information for all existing grantees is available by going to www.doleta.gov/seniors. Click the contacts link on the right and on that page go to grantees PY 2007.

An additional $130 million for the Rural Community Facilities Program The Community Programs is a division of the Housing and Community Facilities Programs at the United States Department of Agriculture. Community Programs includes the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program, the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program, and the Community Facilities Grant Program. These programs help develop essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. These facilities include schools, libraries, childcare, hospitals, medical clinics, assisted living facilities, fire and rescue stations, police stations, community centers, public buildings and transportation.