U.S. Government on the Web

by Hernon, Peter; Shuler, John A.; Dugan, Robert E.

• ISBN13: 9781563087578
• ISBN10: 156308757X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-07-01
• Publisher: Libraries Unltd Inc

Summary

Peter Hernon, one of the country's foremost authorities on government information, and his colleagues explore additional sites, digital reference services, and navigation strategies for effectively accessing and using online government information. Updated with the latest information from the new administration and the 107th Congress, this second edition has been refined with features including a detailed analysis of information policies governing e-government, expanded coverage of the Freedom of Information Act and Web sites devoted to it, directions to sites that provide subject-specific statistics, and more. Visit the Libraries Unlimited Web site at www.lu.com/lu/idu.html for monthly Web address updates.

Author Biography

PETER HERNON is Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College, Boston, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Academic Librarianship, Founding Editor of Government Information Quarterly, Co-Editor of Library & Information Science Research, and an internationally acclaimed author of numerous books in the area of government information.JOHN A. SHULER is Documents Librarian, Department Head, and Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago.ROBERT E. DUGAN is Library Director, Mildred F. Sawyer Library, Suffolk University, Boston.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. xvii
Preface	p. xix
Acknowledgments	p. xxiii
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Other Useful Web Sites	p. 329
Government Body Index	p. 331
Selected Title Index	p. 341
About the Authors	p. 349
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