Free Government Information

Because government information needs to be free.

The mission statement of this blog/website reads

Free Government Information (FGI) is a place for initiating dialogue and building consensus among the various players (libraries, government agencies, non-profit organizations, researchers, journalists, etc.) who have a stake in the preservation of and perpetual free access to government information. FGI promotes free government information through collaboration, education, advocacy and research.

As a government information librarian, I can't express strongly enough my feelings about free public access to government publications, documents, and other information. That is what this site is all about.

With the continuing shift to a more electronic depository program, the role of government information librarians can't help but change. In fact, change is a good thing in this case. All information professionals need to take this time to re-evaluate their strategies for information dissemination. Gone are the days when we could just sit back and wait for patrons to come to the reference desk for their carefully meted dose of information. We need to be out in the trenches teaching, training, and opening up new worlds to our patrons. Not holding down a chair behind the reference desk.

Unfortunately, most University and other administrations are behind the times philosophically. Library staffing and funding is often based on the "body count" paradigm thus allowing administrators to believe that because no one is coming to the library that library services are no longer necessary. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As more patrons use library services from remote locations, the profession needs to hone its teaching and presentation skills in order to find better ways to serve all people - not just those who darken our doors.

It is my hope that our profession will find a way to communicate these needs to our administrators in such a way as to affect change. And soon before we really do become the relics of the Information Age.

Unofficial ALA 2005 Annual Conference Wiki

With the ALA Annual Conference just around the corner (June 23 - 29, 2005), there is a lot of buzz surrounding this site. This conference will probably be the most wired ever since nearly every meeting or discussion will have an electronic presence. This wiki will allow attendees and others to add information about the city, the conference, and the profession. The content is already growing with information about the city and conference including links to the conference planner and local attractions.

This is the first time I've really looked at a wiki. I had heard about them but didn't really pay much attention, I'm ashamed to admit. This technology is just plain cool. The wave of the future, baby!

Read more about wiki at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.

More Library Blogs Than You Can Stand!

Here is a directory of library and library-related blogs from LIBDEX. There is a lot of good information out there for and by librarians. I'm really glad to see librarians and library workers taking advantage of the Internet in this way.

Usually, I find personal webpages/ramblings/musings rather boring. I'm sure the not-so-gory details about my life would put your average Internet critic to sleep in no time flat. However, ramblings/musings/observations about the library environment never cease to edify and amuse.

I fear many young librarians will have trouble finding a niche in our aging profession, but a lot of these bloggers give me hope for the future of our noble profession.

Michael Gorman

Scholar
Activist
Librarian
ALA Vice President/President Elect
Hottie

Learn Yiddish With Dick and Jane

Oy, gevalt!

This parody of the Dick and Jane readers is not only informative, but hysterically funny. Now, but a good little mench and go watch. Then buy the book.

Warning - it is rather loud, so turn your speakers down before you play the video. Especially if you are at work.

Fire In The A-Bar

Apparently "mashing" is the going thing in music creation. Here is a exerpt from the Boot Camp - Mashing for Beginners website -

The term "mash-up" or "bootleg" (or, more commonly, just "boot") describes the result of mixing together two or more records to create a whole new track. Though originally performed live using turntables and DJ mixers, recent advances in sequencing software have taken this art-form to a whole new level. This document outlines how mash-ups can be made using the software package Tracktion.

I really don't understand the technical aspects of this at all, but if you go to the bottom of the page, you can listen to a mash of Gay Bar by Electric Six and the theme from the A-Team. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Thanks to JLK for sharing this with me.

"Now I get to be like everyone else"

This is a very nice, albeit lengthy, story about Dartmouth's All-American Lacrosse goalie Andrew Goldstein who also happens to be publicly gay. His story is truly inspirational, and I think he is a remarkable role model for all types of people. Not only is he an outstanding athlete, he gives hope to everyone who is concerned about equal rights for all Americans.

There are a handful of gay professional athletes – David Kopay, Billy Bean, Esera Tuaolo – who came out after their careers ended. There are a number of talented gay collegiate athletes, some who play individual sports at the Division I level (such as California gymnast Graham Ackerman), others from team sports at the Division II and III levels.

But Andrew Goldstein, according to those who document these things, is the most accomplished male, team-sport athlete in North America to be openly gay during his playing career. He revealed his sexuality to his team after the 2003 season, and an online essay that appeared on Outsport.com elevated his story to national prominence.

Here is a related link - The website mentioned in the article is actually outsports.com.

Louisiana OPH Restaurant Inspections

Searchable by name of restaurant, City, and Parish this site lists results from restaurant inspections back to 2003. Most of my favorite places scored 4 or 5 Pelicans, which translates ratings of Excellent or Superior respectively.

IRS Closing 68 Taxpayer Assistance Centers

I would like to make some smart alecky comment about how the kinder and gentler IRS should be helping more peope instead of fewer, but I just can't make myself do it. Instead I'll just point out that this is one more thing to attribute to the Internet, and leave it at that.

The Internal Revenue Service announced plans Friday to close 68 sites nationwide where taxpayers can get face-to-face help with tax issues.

The IRS said fewer people visit the agency's 400 assistance centers as more taxpayers turn to Web site and telephone services. More than 7.6 million people used walk in sites last year, down from almost 9 million the year before.

And 7.6 million people still sounds like a lot of people to me. Perhaps not everyone has (gasp*choke*sputter) access to the Internet!

Next on the reading list...

Well, I finished the literary masterpiece Obsidian Butterfly that I was reading earlier. It actually got pretty good as it ground along to its inevitable conclusion.

Now I'm reading Candle Bay by Tamara Thorne. It is about a mob-like family of vampires that runs a hotel in California. And wacky hi-jinks insue. It really isn't as bad as it sounds, and I have no one to blame but myself. And my quest to spend the summer rotting my brain with trashy novels.

Read about Candle Bay on amazon.com.

Goodbye, City Life!

Green Acres Star Eddie Albert Dies at 99

Eddie Albert, the actor best known as the constantly befuddled city slicker-turned-farmer in television's "Green Acres," has died. He was 99.

I loved this show growing up. Eddie Albert playing straight man to Eva Gabor's wackiness was nothing short of brilliant. And then there was the talking pig...

So, You Want To Be A Librarian When You Grow Up?

Watch this short (about 10 minute) 1947 film from the "Your Life Work" series. When I watched it the first time I was prepared for the worst, but then I realized how little the philosophical underpinnings of our noble profession have changed in the last almost 60 years. If you substitute "information" for "books" in the film you just about have it - librarians bring people and information together now, just as we did then.

However, like any of this variety of film the dialogue is stilted and a bit goofy in places and I wouldn't recommend it as a recruiting film for LIS schools. :-)

Industorious Clock

A product of the graduate computer science program at the University of Newfoundland - an Internet-based digital clock.

Hypnotic.

The Countdown Begins!

Historical Censuses Online

You can find the following historical census information on the web:

--Census Historical Browser from the University of Virginia, 1790 - 1960
http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/

--Historical Decennial Census Information from the Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/hiscendata.html

The only censuses not available online are 1970 and 1980.

Librarian Stands Up To FBI

Here's a follow-up to the story about the librarian who refused to share patron information with the FBI.

She's right - this is the moment that all librarians dread. However, after the library fought the subpeona in court, the FBI dropped the demand. I agree with the author. This shows how easy it is for the FBI to potentially use the legal system to violate patron privacy.

Schools Ordered to Observe "Constitution Day"

Does anyone else see the irony here?

The Constitution long has ensured that Congress can’t tell schools what to teach. But that’s no longer the case for at least one topic — the Constitution itself.

The Education Department outlined Tuesday how it plans to enforce a little-known provision that Congress passed in 2004: Every school and college that receives federal money must teach about the Constitution on Sept. 17, the day the document was adopted in 1787.

So, Congress can tell schools to teach about the document that says that Congress can't tell schools what to teach.

Its A Girl!!!!!

My neice Devyn Marie was born yesterday afternoon at 3pm. She weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 19 inches long. Everything went fine and mother, father, baby, and older brother are all doing great.

I'll post pics when I get them.

What are you reading right now?

I'm reading Laurell Hamilton's Obsidian Butterfly. It isn't the best thing I've ever read, but it is good brain candy. Strangely, I am enjoying this book more when I'm not reading it than when I am. Hmmm...

What's next? I don't know yet. I guess I'll peruse the bookshelf tomorrow.

Find out more about Obsidian Butterfly on Amazon.com

Butterflies!!!

Everybody who knows me knows how much I love butterflies. Here is a webpage just chock full of butterfly clip art!

Visit The Butterfly WebSite now!

Information City

Global Online Community for Library and Information Professionals

If You're A Librarian Or Information Professional

Wouldn't you like to find an online community which:

Helps you build your network of professional and personal contacts - on a global basis?

Helps you improve your professional competence and skills?

Brings you valuable help and advice from fellow professionals?

Keeps you up to date with the latest lis news and comment?

Helps you organize your essential daily activities?

and even lets you have some FUN?

I'm not necessarily endorsing this site, but I do think it is an interesting idea.

Visit Information City.

Librarian's Brush with FBI

This is a very interesting article about real librarians in a real library dealing with the FBI and the Patriot Act.

Librarian's brush with FBI shapes her view of the USA Patriot Act

On June 8, 2004, an FBI agent stopped at the Deming branch of the Whatcom County Library System in northwest Washington and requested a list of the people who had borrowed a biography of Osama bin Laden. We said no.

Read the entire article here.