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Have an idea for Subject of the Month?
December 2013
Selector: Monique Andrews
United States government information is more accessible than ever thanks to the Internet. Did you know there is no copyright on government information? Federal information is produced for citizens and each year more is available for free on government web site and in online archives. Wayne State University Library System strives to provide access to online government information for students and the community.
General U.S. Government Websites, December 2013
- The Government Printing OfficeThe GPO has been working to keep American informed for over 150 years! GPO's information dissemination programs provide public access to the official publications and information of the Government.
- USA.gov This link opens in a new windowA portal to begin searching for government information including consumer and general citizen information topics.
- List of U.S. government departments and agenciesAn eye opening list of all federal agencies, big and small.
Featured Databases from the U.S. Government, December 2013
- The Catalog of Government PublicationsThe CGP is the finding tool for federal publications and provides direct links to those that are available online. The database has advanced search features, including subject search and authoring agency search.
- FDsys This link opens in a new windowFDsys provides free online access to official Federal Government publications and securely controls digital content throughout its lifecycle to ensure content integrity and authenticity. About 50 different collections of Federal Government information are available.
- PubMedPubMed is a database from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- AGRICOLA This link opens in a new windowThis database from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Library Provides citations to literature in this field.
Good Reads from the Government
A Failure of Initiative by ISBN: 0160754259Publication Date: 2006-04-05Tells the story of inadequate preparation and response in evacuations, medical care, communications, and contracting. Concludes that the government's best efforts, at all levels of government, were not good enough. The writers hope that their findings will prompt the changes needed to make all levels of government better prepared and better able to respond the next time.
Federal best sellers!
The 9/11 Commission Report by ISBN: 0393326713Publication Date: 2004-07-17This independent, bipartisan panel was directed to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the September 11 attacks, identify lessons learned, and provide recommendations to safeguard against future acts of terrorism. This volume is the authorized edition of the Commission's final report.
Deep Water by ISBN: 9780160873713Publication Date: 2011-01-11On April 20, 2010, the Macondo oil well blew out, costing the lives of 11 men, and beginning a catastrophe that sank the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and spilled over 4 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.The spill disrupted an entire region's economy, damaged fisheries and crucial habitats, and brought vividly to light the risks of deepwater drilling for oil and gas, the latest frontier in the national energy supply.
Picture of the Display
Notable U.S. Documents, December 2013
- Budget of the United States GovernmentCurrent 2014 budget and archived budgets, provided by the Federal Reserve
- Social Security HandbookNow online, read about benefits, programs and application processes.
- United States Government ManualThe United States Government Manual is the official handbook of the Federal Government. Information on federal agencies, commissions, and committees.
Reference Works
The CIA World Factbook by ISBN: 9781626360730Publication Date: 2013-10-01From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook offers complete and up-to-date information on the world's nations. It is packed with detailed information on the politics, populations, military expenditures, and economics.
Crime in the United StatesISBN: 9781598885217Publication Date: 2012-09-19Crime in the United States contains findings from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the offenses, known to law enforcement, released annually from its Uniform Crime Reporting Program. The last copy printed by the U.S. government was 2012.
Health, United States 2012 by ISBN: 1491256176Publication Date: 2013-08-01The Chartbook assesses the Nation's health by presenting trends and current information on selected measures of morbidity, mortality, health care utilization, health risk factors, prevention, health insurance, and personal health care expenditures. This year's Chartbook includes a Special Feature on Emergency Care.
Videos on the GPO, December 2013
Links for Kids
- Ben's Guide to the GovernmentHistory, science, law, and more. Learn about the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. government with Ben Franklin.
- Kids.govFor younger children, this site covers jobs, safety, school subjects and much more.