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.

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!

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.

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.

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/

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/

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.

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>

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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."

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

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.

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.

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.

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