Government Documents Made Easy? Or Just Easier?. 90% since 2000 90% since 2000 Retrospective...
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Government Government Documents Made Documents Made
Easy?Easy?
Or Just Easier?Or Just Easier?
90% since 200090% since 2000 Retrospective Retrospective
conversion projectsconversion projects Search engines Search engines
often DO workoften DO work
Federal Documents on the Internet
Limitations to Search Limitations to Search EnginesEngines
Too Many HitsToo Many Hits
•No subject headings or thesaurus terms
•Overuse of common words
•Antiquated terms in state law
Is it?Is it? Economic recovery act?Economic recovery act?
Economic stimulus Economic stimulus package?package?
Economic stimulus bill?Economic stimulus bill?
American Recovery and American Recovery and Assistance ActAssistance Act
Documents Question Documents Question CluesClues
•Legal Material
•Statistics
•Government Official or Agency Mentioned in Question
•Obvious government publication(e.g. Duelfer or 9/11 Commission report)
• Expert on the subject is a government employee (not always obvious)
Expert on Subject?Expert on Subject?
Some are obvious- State Dept. for passports- INS for naturalization - Census Bureau for Census
Some are unclear, e.g. baby cribs- Consumer Reports (commercial)- Consumer Product Safety Commission (government)
Secret TechniquesSecret Techniques
Browse Agency likely to publish the information
Use specialized indexes for that level of government (e.g. USA.gov)
Specialized free databases for each level of government
Documents Center web site
Many places for help
HandoutsHandouts
Key Government Document Key Government Document Reference ToolsReference Tools
Statistical Reference ToolsStatistical Reference Tools
UMich Documents SiteUMich Documents Sitehttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs
Federal Web PagesFederal Web Pageshttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/federal.html
Google’s Uncle SamGoogle’s Uncle Samhttp://www.google.com/unclesam
Results ranked with most important at topAdvanced search link from main screen – can change
domain
USA.govUSA.govhttp://www.usa.gov/
Must do simple search before advanced search
Narrow search down by topics and agencies
USA.govUSA.govhttp://www.usa.gov/
Use for browsing agency names
Federal Web PagesFederal Web Pageshttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/federal.html
Several Docs web portals consist of several pages
Cumulative frames index for section
Hathi TrustHathi Trusthttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/federal.html
First source for retrospective digitized documents
Hathi TrustHathi Trusthttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/federal.html
Use pdf version to download 10 pages at a time
Legislative BranchLegislative Branchhttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/fedlegis.html
Thomas for BillsThomas for Billshttp://thomas.loc.gov/
Thomas for BillsThomas for Billshttp://thomas.loc.gov/
Hearings via GPO’s FDSysHearings via GPO’s FDSyshttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/advanced/advsearchpage.action
Hearings via GPO’s FDSysHearings via GPO’s FDSyshttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/advanced/advsearchpage.action
Laws and Laws and RegulationsRegulations
Michigan PagesMichigan Pageshttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/mich.html
Includes specialized Google index and links to local governments
Other StatesOther Stateshttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/state.html
Links to state laws and regulations, comparative state laws, tax forms, governors
International International AgenciesAgencies
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/intl.htmlSpecial IGO and NGO indexes across agenciesLarge number of United Nations documents are free
Foreign Foreign GovernmentsGovernments
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/foreign.html
Individual Foreign Individual Foreign CountriesCountries
http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/foreigngovt.htm
StatisticsStatisticshttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html
Historic Census Historic Census PublicationsPublications
http://guides.lib.umich.edu/content.php?pid=37625&sid=276640
News ItemsNews Items
America’s War Against Terrorismhttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/usterror.html
Iraq War Debatehttp://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/iraqwar.html
Elections 2008
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/elec2008.html
Getting HelpGetting HelpUniversity of Michigan Documents Center
(734) 764-0410 (M-F, 1-4) [email protected] (most of the time)
Library of Michigan (517) 373-1300 (517) 373-1300
http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17445_19270---,00.html
Government Information Online http://131.193.153.128/
Federal Depository Library for the Area http://catalog.gpo.gov/fdlpdir/FDLPdir.jsp
Problems with Current Problems with Current SiteSite
Known better outside the University
Old-fashioned graphics
Labor intensive – hard to keep updated
Future after Grace retires
Future PlansFuture Plans
Content management system and database by August 3, 2009
Advantages: search results integrated with main library web page and easier to update URLs
Possible disadvantages: difficulty browsing and loss of incompatible formats (e.g. tables)
Hedge: backup DVD of current site and old/new URL equivalent tables
Grace York, Coordinator, Documents Center, University of Michigan [email protected](734) 936-2378
Michigan Library Association I-Trends SeminarJune 26 2009
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~graceyor/doctemp/mladocs.ppt