Fundamentals of Government Information: Mining, Finding, Evaluating, and Using Government Resources / Edition 2

by Cassandra J. Hartnett, Andrea L. Sevetson, Eric J. Forte

Overview

Government data and resources are uniquely useful to researchers and other library users. But without a roadmap, sifting through the sheer quantity of information to find the right answers is foolhardy. The first edition of this text is well established as an essential navigational tool for both LIS students and professionals; now this newly revised, peer-reviewed update is even more attuned to new sources and types of government information and how best to locate them. Unmatched in its scope, this book covers such key topics as- the history of government information, from its colorful beginnings to the era of Wikileaks, Edward Snowden, and data breaches;- how to think like a government documents librarian in order to find information efficiently, plus other research tips;- all types of law resources and information, including public laws and the U.S. Code, Case Law and the judicial branch, and regulations;- Congressional literature, from bills and committee hearings to the U.S. Congressional Serial Set;- patents, trademarks, and intellectual property;- census data, educational information, and other statistical resources;- health information, with an in-depth look at the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the trend toward and impact of online medical records; and- science, environmental, and energy resources from agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.Exercises throughout the text support instruction, while the approachable and well-organized style make it ideal for day-to-day reference use.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780838913956
Publisher:	American Library Association
Publication date:	06/09/2016
Edition description:	Updated
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Andrea L. Sevetson began her library career checking in periodicals at Macalester College. She received her Master of Arts in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has since been employed as a government documents librarian at the University of California, Berkeley; the US Census Bureau; LexisNexis, and is currently employed as a trainer with ProQuest. She has served as the chair of the American Library Association’s Government Documents Round Table, and was appointed to the US Depository Council to the Public Printer and served as its chair. She is the recipient of the CIS/GODORT/ALA “Documents to the People” Award and the James Bennett Childs Award for distinguished contributions to documents librarianship. She is the author of many articles and editor of The Serial Set: Its Make-up and Content (Bethesda, MD: ProQuest, 2013).

Editorial Reviews

★ 11/01/2016
Hartnett (U.S. Documents librarian, Univ. of Washington, Seattle), Andrea L. Sevetson (ProQuest), and Eric Forte (OCLC) make navigating the government information landscape easier—and perhaps even fun. This is not a how-to guide; rather, it provides context for understanding how government information is created, organized, accessed. The first part provides background and introduces key resources, while the second explores primary areas such as health, education, statistics, and the environment. In addition to being jargon free and thoroughly cross-referenced, this volume offers extensive references to primary and secondary sources. Although the focus is the federal government, facts on local, state, and international resources are sprinkled throughout. VERDICT Appropriate for LIS students or for librarians who wish to develop their information-seeking skills and a great addition to all libraries. Nonlibrarians interested in learning more about the government will also find the material helpful.—Amanda Folk, Univ. of Pittsburgh Lib., Greensburg

Library Journal