Do you do “data reference”? Would you like to do it better?
Almost all of us who work with government information help users find statistical information. Many of us also help users locate and use the raw data from which statistical tables are built.
Whether you love or fear questions related to statistical information or data, the current double issue of the IASSIST Quarterly (2009: Winter), “Data Reference in Depth” will be a welcome guide.
Bobray Bordelon of Princeton University Library edited this special issue. It features articles by experts, many of whom you probably know:
- The Pedagogical Data Reference Interview, by Kristin Partlo
- Sources for International Trade, Prices, Production, and Consumption, by Amy West
- Data Reference in Depth: Sources of International Labour Data, by Walter Giesbrecht
- Financial Crisis Data Resources: A Brief Guide, by Mary Tao
- Data in Development: An Overview of Microdata on Developing Countries, by Kristi Thompson
- The American Community Survey: Benefits and Challenges, by Michelle Hayslett and Lynda Kellam
If you’re not already a member, consider joining IASSIST. It is an international organization of professionals working with information technology and data services to support research and teaching in the social sciences. Its 300 members work in a variety of settings, including data archives, statistical agencies, research centers, libraries, academic departments, government departments, and non-profit organizations.
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