U.S. Government on the Web: Getting the Information You Need [Paperback]

Peter Hernon (Author), Robert E. Dugan (Author), John A. Shuler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 156308886X | ISBN-13: 978-1563088865 | Publication Date: June 2001 | Edition: 2nd

There's a wealth of government information available on the Internet, most of it useful and much of it free! This resource helps citizens find and use the information our tax dollars pay for. Prepared by one of the country's foremost experts on U.S. government information and his colleagues, this second edition is expanded to nearly 1,400 federal government Web sites. The authors explore new 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, direction to sites that provide subject-specific statistics, and more. With this book any government information search becomes easier - whether it's communicating with public officials, downloading tax forms, researching genealogy, searching for educational science sites for kids, planning a vacation at a national park, or looking for information on financial aid and grants. The Library of Congress, the Department of Defense, NASA, the Supreme Court, the CIA, and dozens of other government agencies are just a click away. More than a directory, this authoritative work gives users a clear understanding of U.S. government agencies, their online publications, and their applications. There is valuable background material on all three branches of the government and the information they disseminate. Users can also discover where to find government programs and services that are available through the Web. An entire chapter on government sites aimed at youth, parents, and educators will be especially useful in the classroom or school library, as well as at home. The authors make it easy to tap into the riches of government information and for librarians to incorporate government information into their virtual collections or online catalogs. An essential and up-to-date reference, the book provides a reliable road map to a vast and diverse field of information. It belongs in every public, academic, and school library - and on the bookshelves of all U.S. citizens who wish to find government information on the Web.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

This book identifies quick and useful paths to inexpensive and reliable information for students and teachers. The use of blue for URLs and section headings improves the appearance of this new edition and makes it very user-friendly. It includes the Bush administration and the 107th Congress, a detailed analysis of policies regarding e-government, expanded coverage of the Freedom of Information Act and examples of Web sites devoted to it, and statistics on specific topics. The question about why a print source is needed to navigate the Web is answered with methods for conducting a search that will have the best chance for locating information to meet a specific need. The author reminds us that we may miss valuable content by not differentiating between a report and a hearing. "Search Engines: Negotiating the Information Maze" presents the "why" of using government sources as well as a discussion of general search engines and Internet portals. "Web Pages for the Nation's Youth" will be of special interest. This broad heading includes aeronautics, alcohol and drugs, art, coping with natural disasters, energy and the environment, maps, geography and earth sciences, museums, social studies, transportation, and wildlife in captivity. The book concludes with an overview of Web-browser hardware and software.

Mary Lankford, Texas Education Agency, Austin

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The authors, all librarians, have produced a comprehensive guide on U.S. government information on the World Wide Web, covering the expected ground quite competently (Congress, GPO Access, statistical sources, the presidency, and major agencies) and including excellent discussions of geographic information, the courts, and sites recommended for children, parents, and educators. Each URL cited in the text is highlighted in bright blue, and each chapter is accompanied by a web site guide. Although a commendable effort, this compares unfavorably to other printed guides in several respects, particularly Greg Notess's Government Information on the Internet (Bernan, 1997) and Evan James's Government on the Net (LJ 8/98), both of which cover nonfederal government sources and describe nongovernment information providers in greater depth. While this reviewer prefers to use web gateways such as the Federal Web Locator over consulting a printed guide, this is recommended as a quick reference to libraries wanting detailed descriptions and analyses of federal web sites, the guide's strong point. The authors promise a related web site will provide updated URLs between print editions of this book.APatrick Ragains, Univ. of Nevada, Reno
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 405 pages
• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited Inc; 2nd edition (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156308886X
• ISBN-13: 978-1563088865
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,563,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable guide to goverment documents, November 27, 2007

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C. Tobey "chiefbroad" (Cape Cod, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: U.S. Government on the Web (Paperback)

One of the few textbooks I have not sold once the class was over, this guide is exhaustive and reader-friendly. I will be sure to invest in updated versions, which I hope Hernon et al. are working on. All librarians should have access to a copy of this book, especially public libraries.