HOW MUCH GOVERNMENT INFORMATION IS ON THE NET?

More and more all the time, but:

• Not much retrospective information
• It changes and disappears without notice
• Compared with all the information ever created and preserved by every level of government of every nation that ever existed, it's infinitesimal.
• Don't throw away your old finding tools!
  
  
  

  FINDING TOOLS

  Search Engines

• FirstGov http://www.firstgov.gov/
  The new official website for searching US Government sites and/or state government sites

• Google Government Search http://google.com/unclesam

• Vivisimo's FirstGov Search Interface http://vivisimo.com/form?form=FirstGovAdvanced
  
  SEARCH PROBLEMS:

• Use each of these search engines and see what you can find on the economic impact of ice in the Missisippi River. Compare your results.

• Has the Community Reinvestment Act been used successfully in downtown revitalization Projects? Suggestion: Google Uncle Sam; start with "community reinvestment act" and search within results.

• Is there any national data on racial profiling in traffic stops? Suggestion: Vivisimo's FirstGov interface works well here.

• I'd like to know where to check to see if I've left unclaimed property in several states I've lived in.
  
  
  

  Directories

• Ben's Guide to US Government Web Sites for Kids http://bensguide.gpo.gov/subject.html

• BNA's Web Watch http://www.bna.com/webwatch/
  The Bureau of National Affairs "links to government, industry, and academic resources on selected topics spanning the breadth of BNA coverage." Among their specific topical interests are workplace safety, wetlands, prescription drug costs, ozone issues, literacy, intellectual property, homeland security and the federal workforce, FOIA, and more. A welcome new tool since it's getting harder these days to track newly released documents.

• BusinessLaw.gov http://www.businesslaw.gov/
  "Legal and regulatory information for America's small businesses." Includes a collection of "Plain English Guides" to state and local information, starting a business, handling finances, managing employees, doing business, and getting out of business. Also info on rulemaking and compliance assistance.

• Core Documents of US Democracy http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locators/coredocs/index.html

• CyberCemetery http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/
  Providing "permanent public access to the electronic Web sites and publications of defunct U.S. government agencies and commissions."

• Direct Search http://www.freepint.com/gary/direct.htm
  This invaluable invisible web directory takes you directly to the search pages of a wide variety of databases from government and other sources.

• DisasterHelp https://disasterhelp.gov/portal/jhtml/index.jhtml

• Documents in the News: Current Events Research http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/docnews.html
  Currently leading you to documents on tax reform, the space shuttle Columbia, North Korean nuclear weapons, etc. Also includes detailed subject index.

• EPA National Electronic Internet Publication Site http://www.epa.gov/nepis/

• FirstGov - Frequently Asked Questions of the US Government http://www.firstgov.gov/Contact/Faq.shtml

• FirstGov for Kids http://kids.gov/

• Forms from the Feds http://exlibris.memphis.edu/govpubs/forms.htm

• Government Complaint Center http://www.govspot.com/complaint/
  A guide to where to file various kinds of complaints. Part of GovSpot, in and of itself a fine directory http://www.govspot.com/

• Información Gubernamental en Español http://library.nevada.edu/govpub/egovpub.html
  Guide to Spanish-language government web sites.

• International Agencies and Information on the Web http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/intl.html

• International Governmental Organizations http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govpub/resource/internat/igo.html

• NARA - AAD - Access to Archival Databases http://www.archives.gov/aad/index.html
  "Online access to a selection of nearly 50 million historic electronic records created by more than 20 federal agencies on a wide range of topics." This seems to be NARA's answer to the evanescence of electronic government information.

• New Electronic Titles http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locators/net/index.html
  Weekly updates on new titles, four weeks worth stored here.

• Non-Governmental Organizations Research Guide http://docs.lib.duke.edu/igo/guides/ngo/

• People Finder Guide: Public Records http://www.virtualchase.com/people/public_records.html
  The invaluable Genie Tyburski offers an annotated guide to resources.

• Recreation.gov http://recreation.gov/
  Recreational opportunities on federal land, by activity and by location

• Regulations.gov http://www.regulations.gov/
  One stop shopping for registering comments on all pending government regs: "find, review, and submit comments on Federal documents that are open for comment and published in the Federal Register."

• Science.gov http://www.science.gov/

• **University of Michigan Documents Center http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/
  A key resource.

• **U.S. Depository Ready Reference Collection http://www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/libraries/indiv/dsc/readyref.html
  "a subject arrangement of the most frequently used depository document titles at Columbia University Libraries."

• US Links: U.S. Federal Government Agencies Database http://www.lib.duke.edu/texis/searchdb/uslinks/uslinks
  "designed to provide access to web sites of and brief descriptive information about the major agencies of the United States Federal Government." Search, browse by alpha or hierarchy, or browse the acronyms index.

• Where To Write for Vital Records http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/vital-records/w2welcom.htm
  
  SEARCH PROBLEMS

• Are there any statistics on losses from identity theft? Suggestion: Try BNA Web Watch which has a section on government resources on identity theft.

• A trucker who's been in an accident has to fill out a federally required crash report form; where can he get it? Suggestion: Forms from the Feds.
  
  
  

  FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: EXECUTIVE BRANCH

• Code of Federal Regulations http://www.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/index.html

• Federal Register http://www.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html

• Public Papers of the Presidents http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/help/hints/ppapers.html

• United States Government Manual [past and present] http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/nara001.html

• Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/nara003.html

• White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/
  
  SEARCH PROBLEM: I need to know what section 508 requires of my library in terms of the workstations we provide. Suggestion: CFR.
  
  
  

  FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Congressional Committee Prints http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/cpsrch.html

• Congressional Hearings on the Web http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/hearings.html

• Federal News Service: Congressional Transcripts on Line http://www.fnsg.com/
  Search and view headlines for free. All other services are subscription based.

• **LLSDC Legislative Source Book http://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/
  Very useful guide to congressional research sources from the Law Librarians Society of Washington D.C.

• Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/
  Of particular note, the American Memory Project

• Thomas -- U.S. Congress on the Net http://thomas.loc.gov/

  SEARCH PROBLEM: I have to trace the legislative history of a law to determine its original intent; how would I start? Suggestion: the LLSDC Legislative Source Book has a guide to federal legislative history research.
  
  
  

  FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: COURTS

• Supreme Court Decisions http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/

• Other Federal Law Judicial Opinions http://www.law.cornell.edu/federal/opinions.html
  
  SEARCH PROBLEM: I want to find court cases that test the legality of unfunded mandates.
  
  
  

  STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

• Administrative Code and Registers Section, NASS [National Association of Secretaries of State] http://www.nass.org/acr/internet.html

• Compilation of State Government Information Pages http://library.stmarytx.edu/acadlib/doc/us/states/index.htm

• Cyburbia Resource Directory http://directory.cyburbia.org
  A guide to resources for planners, city officials, and anyone interested in making cities work better. Includes sections on land use and zoning, community revitalization, growth issues, transportation, housing, urban design.

• EPA-Window to My Environment http://www.epa.gov/enviro/wme/
  "a powerful new web-based tool that provides a wide range of federal, state, and local information about environmental conditions and features in an area of your choice."

• Guide to State Statistical Abstracts http://www.census.gov/statab/www/stateabs.html

• NACo - About Counties http://www.naco.org/counties/queries/index.cfm
  Source for county data, county policies and officials, sample county codes, policies and ordinances by topic, a library, and more.

• National Conference of State Legislatures http://www.ncsl.org/
  News, policy issue backgrounders, state-federal relations backgrounders

• National Governors' Association http://www.nga.org/
  Info on governors, issue briefs, best practices, policy statements, testimony and reports.

• State and County Quick Facts http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html
  The most frequently requested census data

• State Depository Laws http://www.selu.edu/Library/ServicesDept/govdoc/laws.htm
  Find out what documents your own state government is required to preserve.

• State Tax Comparisons http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/tax_stru.html

• **Stateline.org: Your Source for State News http://www.stateline.org/
  State government news with links to state statistics and keyword search through news stories across or within states

• StateList: The Electronic Source for State Publications Lists http://www.library.uiuc.edu/doc/StateList/check/check.htm

• University of Michigan Documents Center - State Government and Politics http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/state.html

• U.S. Cities Online http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/meet_mayors/cities_online/
  
  SEARCH PROBLEMS

• I'd like to see model programs of state and local governments for dealing with sprawl. Suggestion: the Cyburbia Resource Directory

• Which states have the highest level of taxation?
  
  
  

  LAW

• Code of Federal Regulations http://www.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/index.html

• FedLaw http://www.thecre.com/fedlaw/default.htm
  Under construction. Also try FirstGov's Reference Shelf section on Law http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Reference_Shelf.shtml#Laws and

• Legal Information Institute at Cornell http://www.law.cornell.edu/topical.html

• Library Law http://librarylaw.com/

• Perkins Coie: Internet Case Digest http://www.perkinscoie.com/casedigest/default.cfm
  " a compilation of cases designed to bookmark, collate and monitor important developments in Internet law, including cases that have significant implications for Internet legal issues even if they are not directly related to the Internet." Searchable and browsable.

• Public Laws http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/nara005.html

• Search Systems Public Records Locator http://www.searchsystems.net/
  "Largest free public records database collection." Search by keyword or browse by state, Canadian provinces, or country. You can track things like farm subsidy recipients, child support payments, corporate records, automobile lemon records, campaign contributions, physician discipline records,etc.

• the Virtual Chase http://www.virtualchase.com/
  A cornucopia of legal research help from law librarian Genie Tyburski.

• U.S. Code http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/index.html
  
  SEARCH PROBLEMS:
• We're just forming a Friends group and want to know what legal hoops to jump through to apply for nonprofit tax-exempt status.

• I need to find out how the criminal records search systems for different states allow you to retrieve information, and what kinds of information. Suggestion: Try The Virtual Chase's section on criminal records.

• I need to find out the status of the case of a missing person in Iowa. Suggestion: Search Systems Public Records Locator.
  
  
  

  STATISTICS

• American FactFinder http://factfinder.census.gov/java_prod/dads.ui.homePage.HomePage

• FedStats: One Stop Shopping for Federal Statistics http://www.fedstats.gov/

• Guide to State Statistical Abstracts http://www.census.gov/statab/www/stateabs.html

• State and County Quick Facts http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html
  The most frequently requested census data

• Statistical Abstract http://www.census.gov/statab/www/

• Statistical Resources on the Web http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html

• Statistical Resources on the Web: Foreign Government Data Sources http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html

• United Nations Statistics Division http://www.ssb.no/english/links/
  Links to every country's statistical agency's web server.

• United States Historical Census Data Browser http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/
  
  SEARCH PROBLEMS:

• I'd like to see the statistics on non-payment of child support. Suggestion: Statistical Resources on the Web

• I'm trying to track the changes in the Chinese population in the US since 1860. Suggestion: United States Historical Census Browser.
  
  
  

  NEWS SOURCES

• Behind the Homefront http://www.rcfp.org/behindthehomefront/
  "A daily chronicle of news in homeland security and military operations affecting newsgathering, access to information and the public's right to know" from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

• Federal News Radio http://www.federalnewsradio.com/

• Government Computer News (GCN) - federal, state and local government technology http://www.gcn.com/

• Government Technology http://www.govtech.net/
  A magazine that shows you how federal, state and local governments are using technology to serve their constituents better. The Solutions Center is full of case studies and best practices.

• GovExec.com - Government Executive Magazine http://www.govexec.com/

• The Hill http://www.hillnews.com/

• OMBWatch http://ombwatch.org/

• Secrecy News http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/secrecy/
  from the Federation of American Scientists comes this continuing coverage of secrecy in government.

• StatesNews http://www.statesnews.org/
  Daily news from the Council of State Governments. Also includes special topic guides on Health Literacy, Election 2002, policy issues, and an Internet Privacy Clearing House.

• Washington Post Federal Page http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/politics/fedpage/

  Note: I wrote a webliographic article called "Tracking Our Government" in http://marylaine.com/exlibris/xlib173.html about finding news on our governments' daily actions.
  
  
  

  STATE AND FEDERAL TAX INFO

• State Tax Comparisons http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/tax_stru.html

• State Tax Forms http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/link/forms.html
  In addition to providing tax forms, individual state sites may provide direct online filing, news, a tax research library, etc.

• TaxLinks.com: Find Internal Revenue Service Revenue Rulings... http://www.taxlinks.com/
  
  SEARCH PROBLEM:
  What states exempt food purchases from sales taxes, and what kinds of food are not exempt?
  
  
  

  A GOV DOCS LIBRARIAN'S BEST FRIEND: OTHER LIBRARIANS

• David Fletcher's Government and Technology Weblog http://radio.weblogs.com/0110120/

• GOVDOC-L User Guide http://docs.lib.duke.edu/federal/govdoc-l/index.html
  If you have a gov docs question you can't answer, draw on the cumulated wisdom (and resources) of other gov docs librarians in this moderated list.

• GODORT http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/GODORT/

• GODORT Handouts Exchange http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/godort/subjects.htm
  Government documents librarians offer bibliographies and webliographies on a wide variety of topics -- gambling, Medicare, Afro-Americans, disabilities, gun control, and lots more.

• Government Document Display Clearinghouse http://www.lib.mankato.msus.edu/lib/govdoc/proj/tutorials/finalfront2.html
  A clearinghouse to help documents librarians create eye-catching displays to promote their documents collections. " Browse by subject, and view source lists and, where available, images.
  
  
  

  MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

• ERIC Reauthorization News http://www.lib.msu.edu/corby/education/doe.htm
  As you probably know, ERIC as we know it is coming up for reauthorization this year, but not all its services are included in the legislation. Find out how to register your opinion and keep track of action on the issue here.

• Government Accountability Project http://www.whistleblower.org/

• Government's 50 Greatest Endeavors: an Opinion Survey http://www.brook.edu/dybdocroot/GS/CPS/50ge/50GE_hp.htm
  A useful reminder that government, however flawed, does accomplish great things.

• OurDocuments.gov -- 100 Milestone Documents from American History http://www.ourdocuments.gov/
  
  
  

• NOTE OF CAUTION: WHAT'S OFFICIALLY AVAILABLE AND WHAT'S REALLY AVAILABLE

• Audits and Surveys of State Freedom of Information Laws http://foi.missouri.edu/openrecseries.html
  Journalists across the country tested state and local officials to see if they'd hand over public records for inspection. The results, linked here, were discouraging.

• FAS Project on Government Secrecy http://www.fas.org/sgp/
  The Federation of American Scientists is monitoring restrictions on access to public information

• State and Federal E-Government, 2001 http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Taubman_Center/polreports/egovt01us.html
  Compares state web sites and federal agency web sites, in terms of services, accessibility, outreach, responsiveness, privacy, and security.
  
  
  

  SOME MORE GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT RESEARCH PROBLEMS

• When the euro was introduced, there was a lot of worry about counterfeiting. Has that happened? Suggestion: try the regular version of Google and do a news search.

• I'm told there was a recent report by some international agency on climate effects on human health, and I'd like to read it. Suggestion: a regular Google search works best here because it includes international documents in its search.

• What percentage of America's Hispanic population is Mexican-American?

  AND DON'T FORGET TO TRY RESEARCH QUESTIONS IN YOUR INDEXING SERVICES AND ARTICLE DATABASES!