Data.gov

Data.gov is now live and ready for you to explore!

The purpose of Data.gov is to increase public access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.

Data.gov has a searchable data catalog that gives access to data through the "raw" data catalog and by using tools. "The Raw Data Catalog provides an instant download of machine readable, platform-independent datasets while the Tools Catalog provides hyperlinks to tools that allow you to mine datasets."

You have a say in the future of Data.gov by suggesting datasets to include and suggest improvements/enhancements to the website.

For more information, visit their FAQ and Tutorial.

2008 Notable Government Documents

Library Journal recently published an article Looking Back, Moving On: 2008 Best Notable Government Documents, many of which are in the McNeese Library's Government Documents Department. Come see them on display!

Learn more about the Government Printing Office (GPO) and the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

May 18th - June, 2009

First Floor, Exhibit Cases

For more information, check out the McNeese Library Government Information homepage.

Virtual Student Foreign Service

Secretary Clinton announced the launch of the Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS) Internships, an initiative from the State Department. The VSFS Internships will be developed over the next year.

Working from college and university campuses in the United States, American students will partner with our embassies abroad to conduct digital diplomacy that reflects the realities of our networked world. By combining the talents of young people across America and the right technology, we can forge the solutions that our century demands.

If you are interested in learning more, go to the VSFS website and join their Facebook page.

Meet the Office of Public Engagement

Meet the Office of Public Engagement (formerly known as Office of the Public Liaison) which now places more of an emphasis on citizen engagement with the government.

They've created a Citizen Briefing Book based on "a process by which Americans outside of Washington could come together to present ideas directly to the President."

"The idea was to use the Transition website, change.gov, to create a grassroots version of the research binders that presidents receive every day. But instead of advice from top government officials, the Citizen’s Briefing Book is composed of ideas submitted by ordinary people and reflecting the enthusiastic engagement from the public we saw throughout the course of Change.gov. 125,000 users submitted over 44,000 ideas and cast over 1.4 million votes, with the most popular ideas accumulating tens of thousands of votes each. This book contains some of the top ideas, broken into groups by issue area."

I really enjoy the fact that the book contains "word clouds" on the topics, such as this one for the "Energy" section:


Learn more about the OPE, read the OPE Blog, and learn more about their staff, at whitehouse.gov/ope.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! I did a quick post about this holiday last year, but here is an interesting bit of information about this holiday that was established by President Woodrow Wilson but was conceived by a woman named Anna Jarvis.

Anna Jarvis, according to memory.loc.gov, conceived and launched the campaign that resulted in a national holiday honoring mothers:

Legislative actions and annual Congressional proclamations documented in the Congressional Record praise her tireless efforts to create a lasting commemoration to her mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis, as well as to all mothers, living and deceased.

After her mother’s death on May 9, 1905, Anna Jarvis was determined to fulfill her mother’s hope that a Memorial Mothers Day be established to recognize the important roles that mothers play in the family, church, and community. Anna Reeves Jarvis embodied the attributes of many nineteenth-century women who believed that mothers, and in fact all women, could be a powerful force in their communities. Mrs. Jarvis acted upon her beliefs and created Mothers Day Work Clubs that tackled local problems such as poor sanitary conditions and epidemic diseases."

You can view and download the original Mother's Day Proclamation at archives.gov.

Kids.gov

Check out Kids.gov. Find links to government and other kids' sites. Use the navigation bar to browse through the site. Explore, learn, and have fun! There is also a section for educators where you can find free lesson plans.

Exhibit: Highlights of the McNeese Library's Government Documents Collection

Explore interesting, bizarre, and eclectic government publications from the McNeese Library's Government Documents Department! Learn more about the Government Printing Office (GPO) and the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

May - June, 2009
First Floor, Exhibit Cases

For more information, check out the McNeese Library Government Information homepage.

Exhibit: Swine Flu, Epidemics & Pandemics!

Swine Flu, Swine Flu, everyone's talkin' 'bout Swine Flu! There are many government resources and library resources about the current Swine Flu (H1N1) outbreak. Did you know there was a swine flu outbreak in the 1970s? Government Documents from this time period will also be on display, as well as resources on epidemics and pandemics.

May 3rd - May 18, 2009
First Floor, Exhibit Cases

You can access a bibliography of resources pertaining to swine flu here.