The GATT Digital Library, a project of Stanford and the WTO is now online at http://gatt.stanford.edu/page/home. I've given it an entry in Libdata too. It's very cool. -- Amy
In order to take advantage of the Movable Type Blacklist feature, I've set the blog to send all comments to the govref@umn.edu address. This way, when we get spammed, as we did yesterday, we can open the first email saying we got a comment and delete all of them at once. -- Amy
From Andrea Sevetson:
Don't look now...
But the Census Bureau Homepage has a slightly new design. Yes, they sprang
this one on me, too (but it's actually a welcome surprise).
Specific things you'll be looking for:
Search, Subjects A to Z, FAQs are in the UPPER RIGHT corner
In the center of the page. to the right of the "Business" links, added is
the Local Employment Dynamics (LED) program link.
The right column "Data Finders" has a more unified look now with
links/pulldowns for...
Population Clocks
Population Finder
Latest Economic Indicator
Quick Facts (new look for this)
The left column has been reorganized with two new items:
About the Bureau (moved from the center column)
Regional Offices (to highlight the Census Bureau's Regional Offices)
Doing Business with Us
The cataloging isn't done yet (that I know of), so there's no Libdata entry yet, but when there is, it will point to:
a: IFS Online: http://www.lib.umn.edu/cgi-bin/ifs.cgi
b: the guide to it: http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1778
Please start getting familiar with this resource. It's not very user-friendly and will soon be readily available to all. Please send any comments on the guide too when you find any problems. -- Amy
Replaced MN & Other States Publications (http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/pubs_mn.phtml) with http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1644.
GPO has just released their new Information Dissemination Implementation Plan for FY 2005-2006. This is a synthesis of some of the draft reports released for comment last year. Some parts of it are yet to be developed, but I assume they wanted to get it out before the upcoming meeting of the Depository Library Council. Find on their (well hidden) FDLP Desktop, at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/pubs/id_plan/index.html
Julie
We have managed to get copies of the Minnesota volume of the Census of Agriculture in paper, although the GPO missed the boat and did not obtain any tangible copies. They are now cataloged and available for use. I have telephoned Professor Fraser Hart to tell him, in case he has not already obtained his own copy. We have one copy on Desk Reference and two circulating copies (3 days) in the Census collection. SuDoc is A 92.53/23 etc.
GPO HAS cataloged the volumes for the 2002 Census of Ag, linking to the online documents.
Julie
The USGS has a new web site which seems very user-friendly. See how you can get a whole bunch of information by state, for example!
Here is the announcement:
Date: April 13, 2005
From: USGS
Subject: new USGS Homepage www.usgs.gov
----- Forwarded by John C Fouke/NMD/USGS/DOI on 04/13/2005 01:21 PM -----
In an effort to make our Web presence more robust and dynamic, the Office of Communications and Geographic Information Office are pleased to announce that we are launching a new USGS Homepage today. We have many exciting stories to tell and this new version brings science and information to the forefront.
As a use of our Web site, we wanted to call your attention to the following new features which we hope you will find useful.
. Science in Your State - Serves as a gateway to USGS state-based information. While we are starting with this template, we plan to work with folks in the disciplines and regions to add additional information and broaden the scope of this effort.
. Latest Publications - This feature is being dynamically driven
directly from the USGS Pubs Warehouse as new publications are added.
. Science Features - Provides an opportunity to feature projects, programs and activities and allow visitors to delve deeper into our science.
. Real-Time Information - Provides easy access to information on
earthquakes, water resources and volcanoes.
. Geographic Information Systems - Allows greater access to some of our most prominent geospatial information and data.
. Frequently Asked Questions - Is a dynamically driven from the FAQ database maintained by the Natural Sciences Network.
. Fact of the Day - Provides an opportunity for visitors to learn
fun facts about the USGS, earth and biological sciences.
. About USGS - We have reorganized information featured in the
previous About USGS, making it easier to learn more about who we are, what we do and how we are organized.
. Science Topics - Provides visitors an alternative way to browse our many USGS science programs and activities. Users also have the option of using the traditional discipline avenue.
. USGS Calendar - Features information about upcoming open houses, public lectures, conferences, tradeshows and other events taking place across the landscape.
. Partnerships - This page is a temporary placeholder for a much
more robust portal featuring information about USGS partnerships.
. Newsroom - Provides a new look and feel to view the latest press releases and other information that may be of interest to the news media.
There are 2 particularly promising-sounding, world-wide books in General Reference that cover city-level statistics:
Encyclopedia of urban cultures : cities and cultures around the world / edited by Melvin Ember and Carol R. Ember.
TC Wilson Library Reference Quarto HT108.5 .E53 2002
Encyclopedia of world cities / Immanuel Ness.
TC Magrath Library Reference Quarto HT108.5 .N47 1999 Non-Circulating
TC Wilson Library Reference Quarto HT108.5 .N47 1999 Non-Circulating
There is another title, World Encyclopedia of Cities, that we only have for North America. -- Amy
Replaced Search Engines and Directories (http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/sed.phtml) with http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1557.
Replaced United States Publications (http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/pubs_us.phtml) with http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1726.
Replace United States Official Web Sites (http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/official_us.phtml) with http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1597.
Replaced "Top Ten Things to Know When Looking For United Nations Documents" and the UN Guide with this Pagescribe page: http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1740.
Deleted entry for Yale guide on http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guide_igo.phtml#1.2.
Replaced our "Minnesota Official Web Sites" with this one: http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1759.
AFF is going to have some very nice enhancements as of 4/14/05. Included will be improved mapping and simple population finder. There's a word doc with screenshots on the GPL refdesk computer for anyone who wants a sneak preview. -- Amy
Presidential Pardons are not so easy to locate. For recent administrations, start at the Office of the Pardon Attorney.
Another good source is the University of Pittsburgh Law School.
Users using FBIS disks are not allowed to cut/copy/paste or print from the disks. I just had to break the news to a user who's very sad now...-Amy
For background on why the restrictions are in place, see these messages to Govdoc-L from Julie:
1. Basic Background
2. Clarifications