Descripciones mejoradas de Syndetics:

The definitive guide to U.S. government information on the Web has been expanded and updated with the latest information from the current administration, including material on the Department of Homeland Security, the Patriot Act, and the E-Government Act of 2002. Peter Hernon, one of the country's foremost authorities on government information, and his colleagues provide additional Web sites and offer valuable strategies for effectively accessing and using government information online.

More than a mere directory of Web sites, this authoritative work serves as a cardinal pointer through the government's labyrinthine structure and the myriad information resources available to the public, giving users a clearer understanding of U.S. government agencies and their online publications and services. An essential and regularly updated reference, this guide is a reliable roadmap to a vast and diverse field of important information.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• List of Figures(p. xvii)
• Preface(p. xix)
• Acknowledgments(p. xxiii)
• Chapter 1 Government Information and Its Importance(p. 1)
• Definitions: Publication, Information, Data, and Records(p. 2)
• Examples(p. 3)
• Why is Government "Informational Matter" So Important?(p. 5)
• General Issues to Be Aware of When Using Government "Informational Matter" and Government Web Sites(p. 5)
• Freedom of Information Act(p. 6)
• The Privacy Act(p. 7)
• The Web versus Secrecy(p. 8)
• Web Sites Do Not Convey "Official" Information(p. 8)
• Archival Sources(p. 9)
• Loss of the Historical Record(p. 10)
• Electronic-Mail Messages(p. 11)
• Copyright(p. 11)
• Free or Fee(p. 12)
• Clarity of the Written Word(p. 12)
• Online Souvenir Shop(p. 13)
• Summary(p. 13)
• Notes and References(p. 13)
• Chapter 1 URL Site Guide(p. 17)
• Chapter 2 Government: Structure and Types of Publications(p. 19)
• Legislative Branch(p. 19)
• Executive Branch(p. 25)
• Judicial Branch(p. 26)
• Complexity of the Structure(p. 26)
• Types of Publications(p. 26)
• Bills and Resolutions(p. 28)
• Bulletins(p. 28)
• Catalogs(p. 29)
• Circulars, Directives, Rules, and Regulations(p. 29)
• Decisions and Opinions(p. 30)
• Directories(p. 30)
• Flyers, Brochures, Booklets, Pamphlets, and Fact Sheets(p. 30)
• Forms(p. 30)
• Handbooks, Manuals, and Guides(p. 30)
• Hearings(p. 30)
• Journals and Proceedings(p. 31)
• Laws(p. 31)
• Maps, Atlases, and Charts(p. 31)
• Monographs(p. 31)
• Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings(p. 31)
• Patents(p. 32)
• Periodicals, Newspapers, and Newsletters(p. 32)
• Photographs and Images(p. 32)
• Posters(p. 32)
• Proceedings of Symposia, etc(p. 32)
• Public Notices and News Releases(p. 33)
• Reports(p. 33)
• Statistics(p. 33)
• Technical Documentation(p. 34)
• Treaties and International Agreements(p. 34)
• Key Publications(p. 34)
• Summary(p. 35)
• Notes and References(p. 36)
• Chapter 2 URL Site Guide(p. 37)
• Chapter 3 Search Engines: Negotiating the Information Maze(p. 39)
• Government Information Locator Service(p. 41)
• Development of a Web Welcome Mat(p. 42)
• General Search Engines and Internet Portals(p. 42)
• More "Targeted" Search Engines(p. 44)
• DOTbot(p. 44)
• Federal Web Locator(p. 44)
• FedWorld(p. 45)
• GovBot(p. 45)
• GPO Access(p. 45)
• RAMS FIE(p. 47)
• THOMAS(p. 47)
• Yahoo!(p. 47)
• Summary(p. 48)
• Notes and References(p. 48)
• Chapter 3 Url Site Guide(p. 49)
• Chapter 4 Executive Branch(p. 51)
• Department of Agriculture(p. 51)
• The Department's Research, Education, and Economics Agencies(p. 51)
• Farm Service Agency(p. 53)
• Forest Service(p. 53)
• Natural Resources Conservation Service(p. 53)
• Department of Commerce(p. 53)
• Bureau of Export Administration(p. 53)
• Information Infrastructure Task Force(p. 54)
• International Trade Administration(p. 54)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology(p. 54)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(p. 54)
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration(p. 55)
• Department of Defense(p. 55)
• Department of Education(p. 56)
• Department of Energy(p. 57)
• Energy Information Administration(p. 58)
• Los Alamos National Laboratory(p. 58)
• Office of Economic Impact and Diversity(p. 58)
• Office of Environment, Safety and Health(p. 59)
• Office of Science(p. 59)
• Southwestern Power Administration(p. 59)
• Department of Health and Human Services(p. 59)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(p. 60)
• Food and Drug Administration(p. 60)
• Health Care Financing Administration(p. 61)
• National Institutes of Health(p. 61)
• Department of Housing and Urban Development(p. 61)
• Office of Lead Hazard Control(p. 62)
• Public and Indian Housing Agencies(p. 62)
• Department of the Interior(p. 62)
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service(p. 63)
• Bureau of Indian Affairs(p. 63)
• Bureau of Land Management(p. 63)
• Minerals Management Service(p. 64)
• National Park Service(p. 64)
• Bureau of Reclamation(p. 64)
• Office of Surface Mining(p. 65)
• Department of Justice(p. 65)
• Crime Mapping Research Center(p. 66)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation(p. 66)
• Department of Labor(p. 66)
• Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses(p. 67)
• Mine Safety and Health Administration(p. 67)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration(p. 67)
• Department of State(p. 67)
• Department of Transportation(p. 70)
• Department of Treasury(p. 70)
• Bureau of Engraving and Printing(p. 71)
• U.S. Customs Service(p. 71)
• U.S. Mint(p. 71)
• Internal Revenue Service(p. 71)
• United States Secret Service(p. 72)
• Department of Veterans Affairs(p. 72)
• White House(p. 72)
• Executive Office of the President(p. 72)
• Council of Economic Advisors(p. 72)
• Council on Environmental Quality(p. 73)
• National Security Council(p. 73)
• Office of Management and Budget(p. 73)
• Office of National Drug Control Policy(p. 73)
• Office of Science and Technology Policy(p. 74)
• Office of the United States Trade Representative(p. 74)
• Other(p. 74)
• National Coordination Office for Computing, Information, and Communications(p. 74)
• Office of the First Lady(p. 75)
• Summary(p. 75)
• Notes(p. 76)
• Chapter 4 URL Site Guide(p. 77)
• Chapter 5 Independent Establishments and Quasi-Government Agencies(p. 83)
• Aeronautics, Space Flight, and Space Research(p. 84)
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration(p. 84)
• Africa(p. 85)
• The African Development Foundation(p. 85)
• Agriculture(p. 85)
• Farm Credit Administration(p. 85)
• The Americas(p. 86)
• The Inter-American Foundation(p. 86)
• Arms Control and Disarmament(p. 86)
• United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency(p. 86)
• Banking(p. 86)
• Export-Import Bank of the United States(p. 86)
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(p. 87)
• Federal Reserve System(p. 87)
• National Credit Union Administration(p. 88)
• Civil Legal Assistance(p. 88)
• Legal Services Corporation(p. 88)
• Civil Rights(p. 89)
• U.S. Civil Rights Commission(p. 89)
• Communications Markets(p. 89)
• Federal Communications Commission(p. 89)
• Community Service(p. 90)
• Corporation for National Service(p. 90)
• Consumerism(p. 90)
• Consumer Product Safety Commission(p. 90)
• Economic Growth and Development(p. 90)
• Commodity Futures Trading Commission(p. 90)
• Federal Maritime Commission(p. 91)
• Federal Trade Commission(p. 91)
• Overseas Private Investment Corporation(p. 91)
• Tennessee Valley Authority(p. 91)
• Trade and Development Agency(p. 91)
• United States International Trade Commission(p. 92)
• Elections (Presidential and Congressional)(p. 92)
• Federal Election Commission(p. 92)
• Emergency Assistance/Preparation(p. 93)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency(p. 93)
• Employment(p. 93)
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission(p. 93)
• Energy(p. 94)
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(p. 94)
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission(p. 94)
• Environment(p. 96)
• Environmental Protection Agency(p. 96)
• Federal Employment(p. 97)
• Federal Labor Relations Authority(p. 97)
• Merit Systems Protection Board(p. 97)
• Office of Government Ethics(p. 97)
• Office of Personnel Management(p. 98)
• Office of Special Counsel(p. 98)
• Foreign Economic Development and Humanitarian Assistance(p. 99)
• U.S. Agency for International Development(p. 99)
• Historic Preservation(p. 99)
• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation(p. 99)
• Humanities(p. 100)
• National Endowment for the Arts(p. 100)
• National Endowment for the Humanities(p. 100)
• Intelligence Community(p. 100)
• Central Intelligence Agency(p. 100)
• Knowledge Diffusion(p. 102)
• Smithsonian Institution(p. 102)
• Labor Relations(p. 103)
• National Labor Relations Board(p. 103)
• Libraries and Museums(p. 103)
• Institute of Museum and Library Services(p. 103)
• National Commission on Libraries and Information Science(p. 103)
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum(p. 104)
• Managing Government Property(p. 104)
• General Services Administration(p. 104)
• Managing Government Records(p. 105)
• National Archives and Records Administration(p. 105)
• Mediation(p. 108)
• National Mediation Board(p. 108)
• Mutual Understanding with People of Other Countries(p. 109)
• United States Information Agency(p. 109)
• Voice of America(p. 109)
• Nuclear Health and Safety(p. 109)
• Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board(p. 109)
• Pension Plans(p. 110)
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation(p. 110)
• People with Disabilities(p. 110)
• United States Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board(p. 110)
• Postal Service(p. 110)
• Postal Rate Commission(p. 110)
• United States Postal Service(p. 111)
• Railroad Travel and Workers(p. 111)
• National Railroad Passenger Corporation(p. 111)
• Science and Engineering(p. 111)
• National Science Foundation(p. 111)
• Security Markets(p. 112)
• Securities and Exchange Commission(p. 112)
• Selective Service (for Military)(p. 112)
• Selective Service System(p. 112)
• Small Business Interests(p. 113)
• Small Business Administration(p. 113)
• Social Security(p. 113)
• Social Security Administration(p. 113)
• Transportation(p. 114)
• The National Transportation Safety Board(p. 114)
• Work Place(p. 115)
• Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission(p. 115)
• World Peace and Friendship(p. 115)
• Peace Corps(p. 115)
• United States Institute of Peace(p. 116)
• Summary(p. 116)
• Notes and References(p. 116)
• Chapter 5 URL Site Guide(p. 117)
• Chapter 6 Legislative Branch(p. 123)
• Overview(p. 124)
• Congressional Directory(p. 125)
• THOMAS(p. 125)
• House of Representatives(p. 126)
• Standing Committees(p. 127)
• Office of the Clerk(p. 130)
• Speaker of the House(p. 131)
• Office of the Majority Leader(p. 131)
• Office of the Majority Whip(p. 131)
• Democratic Whip(p. 131)
• Office of Inspector General(p. 131)
• Caucuses(p. 131)
• The Senate(p. 133)
• Committees(p. 134)
• Other(p. 136)
• Joint Committees (of Both Chambers)(p. 136)
• Joint Economic Committee(p. 136)
• Joint Committee on the Library of Congress(p. 137)
• Joint Committee on Taxation(p. 137)
• Support Agencies(p. 137)
• Architect of the Capitol(p. 137)
• Congressional Budget Office(p. 137)
• General Accounting Office(p. 137)
• Government Printing Office(p. 139)
• The John C. Stennis Center for Public Service(p. 140)
• Library of Congress(p. 140)
• Medicare Payment Advisory Commission(p. 146)
• United States Botanic Garden(p. 146)
• Office of Technology Assessment(p. 147)
• Some Non-Government Web Sites(p. 147)
• CAPWEB(p. 147)
• FedNet(p. 147)
• The Hill(p. 147)
• The New York Times: Congressional Guide(p. 148)
• Roll Call(p. 148)
• Federal Government Budget(p. 148)
• Summary(p. 148)
• Notes and References(p. 151)
• Chapter 6 URL Site Guide(p. 153)
• Chapter 7 Judiciary Branch(p. 157)
• Administration of the U.S. Courts(p. 159)
• The Legal System: Reference and Research Aids(p. 160)
• Law Schools (Examples)(p. 160)
• Other General Web Sites(p. 164)
• Library of Congress(p. 164)
• Supreme Court Historical Society(p. 165)
• Court Decisions and Other Resources(p. 165)
• Circuit Courts(p. 167)
• Office of the Chief Executive: United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit(p. 168)
• Armed Forces(p. 169)
• District Courts(p. 169)
• Bankruptcy Appellate Panel(p. 174)
• Bankruptcy Courts(p. 174)
• Specialized Courts(p. 178)
• Administrative Bodies(p. 179)
• Federal Judicial Center(p. 180)
• United States Sentencing Commission(p. 180)
• Other Sources(p. 180)
• FindLaw(p. 180)
• Law Journal Extra!(p. 180)
• FedLaw(p. 180)
• CataLaw(p. 181)
• Examples of Fee-based and Subscription Services(p. 181)
• Summary(p. 181)
• Notes and References(p. 181)
• Chapter 7 URL Site Guide(p. 183)
• Chapter 8 Statistics(p. 189)
• Bureau of Economic Analysis(p. 190)
• STAT-USA(p. 191)
• Bureau of Justice Statistics(p. 191)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics(p. 192)
• The Data Button(p. 192)
• Regional Information(p. 193)
• Bureau of the Census(p. 193)
• Economic Census(p. 196)
• Demographic and Economic Surveys(p. 197)
• CenStats and CenStore(p. 197)
• Census Briefs(p. 198)
• Map Gallery(p. 198)
• Citation Patterns for Web-based Census Files(p. 198)
• Key Sources(p. 198)
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics(p. 199)
• "What's New"(p. 200)
• Office of Airline Information(p. 200)
• Economic Research Service(p. 201)
• Energy Information Administration(p. 202)
• Internal Revenue Service(p. 203)
• National Agricultural Statistics Service(p. 203)
• National Center for Education Statistics(p. 205)
• National Center for Health Statistics(p. 206)
• Other(p. 207)
• Summary(p. 207)
• Notes and References(p. 208)
• Chapter 8 URL Site Guide(p. 209)
• Chapter 9 One-Stop Shopping(p. 211)
• Government Blue Pages(p. 211)
• Access America: Showcasing Information Technology(p. 212)
• Statistics(p. 212)
• White House Briefing Rooms(p. 213)
• FEDSTATS(p. 215)
• Free Educational Resources(p. 216)
• FEDIX(p. 217)
• Federal Information Center(p. 218)
• Government Information Xchange(p. 220)
• Consumer Information and Services(p. 220)
• Consumer Information Center(p. 220)
• Consumer Gateway(p. 222)
• Health-Related Issues(p. 223)
• Business Information, Services, and Transactions(p. 224)
• Recreation(p. 227)
• Summary(p. 227)
• Chapter 9 URL Site Guide(p. 229)
• Chapter 10 Government Web-based Services(p. 231)
• White House(p. 231)
• Government Printing Office's Pathway Services(p. 232)
• National Partnership for Reinventing Government(p. 233)
• Education(p. 236)
• Electronic Government(p. 237)
• Health Care(p. 238)
• Nonprofit Sector(p. 239)
• Postal Services(p. 239)
• Selective Service Registration(p. 239)
• Summary(p. 239)
• Notes and References(p. 240)
• Chapter 10 URL Site Guide(p. 241)
• Chapter 11 Maps and Geographic Information Systems(p. 243)
• Mapping Agencies(p. 246)
• Environmental Protection Agency(p. 247)
• National Imagery and Mapping Agency(p. 249)
• National Ocean Service(p. 250)
• United States Geological Survey(p. 258)
• Central Intelligence Agency(p. 260)
• Forest Service(p. 260)
• National Park Service(p. 261)
• Natural Resources Conservation Service(p. 261)
• Agencies with Online Geographic Information Systems(p. 261)
• Bureau of the Census(p. 262)
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics(p. 263)
• Department of Housing and Urban Development(p. 263)
• Environmental Protection Agency(p. 264)
• Federal Communications Commission(p. 265)
• Federal Highway Administration(p. 265)
• Federal Transit Administration(p. 265)
• Forest Service(p. 266)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(p. 266)
• National Park Service(p. 267)
• Natural Resources Conservation Service(p. 267)
• United States Geological Survey(p. 267)
• Federal Geographic Data Committee(p. 268)
• Summary(p. 268)
• Notes and References(p. 270)
• Chapter 11 URL Site Guide(p. 271)
• Chapter 12 Selected Subjects(p. 277)
• Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights(p. 278)
• Electronic Commerce(p. 279)
• Financial Aid(p. 280)
• Genealogy(p. 280)
• Bureau of the Census(p. 280)
• Bureau of Land Management(p. 281)
• National Archives and Records Administration(p. 281)
• United States Geological Survey(p. 282)
• Other(p. 282)
• Grant-Seeking and Contracting Opportunities(p. 282)
• Patents and Trademarks(p. 285)
• Rules and Regulations(p. 286)
• Code of Federal Regulations(p. 286)
• Federal Register(p. 287)
• Summary(p. 287)
• Notes and References(p. 287)
• Chapter 12 URL Site Guide(p. 289)
• Chapter 13 Web Pages for Kids(p. 293)
• Aeronautics, Space Flight, and Astronomy(p. 298)
• NASA Frequently-Asked Questions(p. 298)
• NASA Multimedia Gallery(p. 298)
• StarChild(p. 298)
• Agriculture(p. 298)
• CYFERNet Kid's Space(p. 298)
• USDA-NASS Kids Page(p. 298)
• Alcohol and Drugs(p. 299)
• FDA Kids(p. 299)
• For Kids Only(p. 299)
• Girl Power!(p. 299)
• The Arts(p. 299)
• ARTSEDGE(p. 299)
• Business and Finance(p. 300)
• Learning Bank(p. 300)
• OPIC for Kids(p. 300)
• Treasury's Page for Kids(p. 300)
• Career Planning(p. 301)
• Jobs for Kids Who Like(p. 301)
• Consumer Product Safety(p. 301)
• CPSC(p. 301)
• Coping with Natural Disasters(p. 301)
• FEMA for Kids(p. 301)
• Criminal Justice(p. 301)
• FBI Kids and Youth Educational Page(p. 301)
• Justice for Kids and Youth(p. 301)
• Engraving and Printing(p. 302)
• B.E.P. Kid's Page(p. 302)
• Environment(p. 302)
• Especially for Kids(p. 302)
• Explorer's Club(p. 302)
• Kids on the Web(p. 303)
• Kids' Page(p. 303)
• Woodsy Owl(p. 303)
• Intelligence Community(p. 304)
• CIA for Kids(p. 304)
• Law(p. 304)
• KidLaw(p. 304)
• Labor(p. 304)
• DOL K-12(p. 304)
• Maps, Geography, and Earth Sciences(p. 304)
• Learning Web(p. 304)
• TerraWeb(p. 305)
• Military(p. 305)
• Air Force Link Jr.(p. 305)
• Mining(p. 305)
• Kids' Page(p. 305)
• Museums(p. 305)
• A Kids Guide to the Smithsonian(p. 305)
• Native American Customs, Culture, and Traditions(p. 306)
• Planet Youth(p. 306)
• Ocean and Coastline(p. 307)
• Interesting Facts from NOAA(p. 307)
• Kids' Corner(p. 307)
• Postal Service(p. 307)
• Send a Message(p. 307)
• Resource Management(p. 307)
• MMS Kids Page(p. 307)
• Science and Technology(p. 308)
• ESTEEM(p. 308)
• FDA Kids(p. 309)
• National Science and Technology Week: Just for Kids(p. 309)
• Our Technology Heritage(p. 309)
• Sci4Kids(p. 309)
• Social Studies(p. 309)
• Digital Diplomacy for Students(p. 309)
• The Exhibit Hall(p. 310)
• Kids Next Door(p. 310)
• The White House for Kids(p. 310)
• Presidents of the United States(p. 310)
• YouthlinK(p. 310)
• Transportation(p. 311)
• Education, Career Development, and Safety Awareness(p. 311)
• Especially for Kids and Teens(p. 311)
• Wildlife in Captivity(p. 311)
• Welcome to the National Zoo(p. 311)
• Summary(p. 311)
• Chapter 13 URL Site Guide(p. 313)
• Chapter 14 Web Browser Hardware and Software(p. 315)
• Hardware(p. 315)
• Web Browser Basics(p. 318)
• Web Browser and Viewers(p. 320)
• Staying Current(p. 323)
• And Lastly(p. 324)
• Chapter 14 URL Site Guide(p. 327)
• Appendix Other Useful Web Sites(p. 329)
• Government Body Index(p. 331)
• Selected Title Index(p. 341)
• About the Authors(p. 349)

Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

Library Journal Review

The authors, all librarians, have produced a comprehensive guide on U.S. government information on the World Wide Web, covering the expected ground quite competently (Congress, GPO Access, statistical sources, the presidency, and major agencies) and including excellent discussions of geographic information, the courts, and sites recommended for children, parents, and educators. Each URL cited in the text is highlighted in bright blue, and each chapter is accompanied by a web site guide. Although a commendable effort, this compares unfavorably to other printed guides in several respects, particularly Greg Notess's Government Information on the Internet (Bernan, 1997) and Evan James's Government on the Net (LJ 8/98), both of which cover nonfederal government sources and describe nongovernment information providers in greater depth. While this reviewer prefers to use web gateways such as the Federal Web Locator over consulting a printed guide, this is recommended as a quick reference to libraries wanting detailed descriptions and analyses of federal web sites, the guide's strong point. The authors promise a related web site will provide updated URLs between print editions of this book.ÄPatrick Ragains, Univ. of Nevada, Reno (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal Review

This book identifies quick and useful paths to inexpensive and reliable information for students and teachers. The use of blue for URLs and section headings improves the appearance of this new edition and makes it very user-friendly. It includes the Bush administration and the 107th Congress, a detailed analysis of policies regarding e-government, expanded coverage of the Freedom of Information Act and examples of Web sites devoted to it, and statistics on specific topics. The question about why a print source is needed to navigate the Web is answered with methods for conducting a search that will have the best chance for locating information to meet a specific need. The author reminds us that we may miss valuable content by not differentiating between a report and a hearing. "Search Engines: Negotiating the Information Maze" presents the "why" of using government sources as well as a discussion of general search engines and Internet portals. "Web Pages for the Nation's Youth" will be of special interest. This broad heading includes aeronautics, alcohol and drugs, art, coping with natural disasters, energy and the environment, maps, geography and earth sciences, museums, social studies, transportation, and wildlife in captivity. The book concludes with an overview of Web-browser hardware and software.-Mary Lankford, Texas Education Agency, Austin (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

Over the last decade, government agencies have taken advantage of the economic savings and the ease of publishing on the Internet to provide vast amounts of valuable information. Although access is readier than before, researchers must find their way through the patchwork of government and other Internet sites to find the treasures sometimes difficult to uncover using general search engines. Hernon, long recognized as an authority in government publications, prepares readers to find these sources efficiently and effectively. While presenting alternative methods of locating relevant materials, from the use of search engines best suited to uncovering government information to searching by branches of government or browsing large clearinghouse sites, he also showcases nearly 1,000 of the most interesting and valuable Web sites and maintains currency at his publisher's Web site . Because Hernon teaches searching techniques and informs readers about the nature and value of government information, his book has more enduring value than similar Internet guides that do little more than list sites. A valuable tool for faculty, students, and library and other professionals; recommended for all reference collections. T. McDevitt; Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Booklist Review

Over the past decade, local, state, and federal governments have made use of the Internet to provide more information to more people on a more cost-effective basis. From the White House to court cases to laws and legislation to agency reports, every citizen now has access to a wealth of government information on the World Wide Web. Finding that information, however, can be a complex task. This work is intended to guide the reader through the maze of government Web sites. Mirroring the structure of the federal government, this book is arranged primarily by branch of government. Within each branch, the guide provides the hierarchy of agencies and departments along with a description of the types of publications that each agency issues. The URLs for the main Web sites for that agency are provided. Web sites are printed in blue to make them stand out on the page. Each chapter also has a summary "URL Site Guide" where all URLs in the chapter are listed together on one page for easy reference. In addition to the agency-organized chapters, the work provides background information on the nature of government information, copyright and privacy issues, and the use of government information for specialized topics. There is even a chapter on government Web sites for children. There are many guides to government information, and there are many guides to information on the Web. The strength of this work is that it presents electronic information from the government in an agency-oriented structure, which is the way that most document librarians think. (For those not as familiar with the way government agencies are structured, however, a subject index would be useful.) A similar work, Government Information on the Internet (2d ed., Bernan, 1998), is arranged by broad subject area. As with all Web sites, the URLs will change over time and updates will be necessary. U.S. Government on the Web can be considered a companion to other guides to government information and will be a useful addition to documents and reference collections.

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Peter Hernon is Professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College
Robert E. Dugan is the Director of the Mildred F. Sawyer Library at Suffolk University
John A. Shuler is Documents Librarian/Department Head Documents, Maps, Microforms, and Curriculum Department University Library, University of Illinois at Chicago