Home » Articles posted by James A Jacobs (Page 121)

Author Archives: James A Jacobs

Our mission

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.

New Website for Smithsonian Institution Archives

The Smithsonian Institution Archives has a redesigned website. The home page says "the old website is archived" but I could find no information if old links will work or if old pages are still online. The Smithsonian Institution Archives siarchives.si.edu

The Smithsonian Institution Archives captures, preserves, and makes available to the public the history of this extraordinary Institution. From its inception in 1846 to the present, the records of the history of the Institution—its people, its programs, its research, and its stories—have been gathered, organized, and disseminated so that everyone can learn about the Smithsonian. The history of the Smithsonian is a vital part of American history, of scientific exploration, and of international cultural understanding.
The Archives New Website and Blog!, by Effie Kapsalis, The Bigger Picture [blog] (September 12, 2011). some of the features of the new site:
  • a new Collections Search feature that provides online access to all of the Archives' records catalogued to date with the ability to download media for free personal and educational use, as well as to make reference requests directly from the Archives’ collection guides;
  • dedicated pages on the history of each Smithsonian museum, research center, as well as resources on the overall history of the Smithsonian including a timeline of major events in Smithsonian history, and historic pictures of the Smithsonian;
  • access to over 4,000 Finding Aids, which serve as guides to the Archives’ collections, that have been optimized for search to help the public more easily explore the 35,000 cubic feet of records held by the Archives;
  • new online forums for the public to ask reference questions, and get tips on collections care and records management, from Archives staff.
  • Take a tour by watching the video See also Smithsonian Institution. Continue reading →

    Continue Reading →

    New Action Plan for Open Government

    The United States has released a new action plan for open government that lists existing policies and plans and includes new initiatives:

    The Plan was developed as part of the United States' participation in the Open Government Partnership, a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. The OGP is overseen by a steering committee of governments and civil society organizations.
    Participating countries in the Open Government Partnership pledge to deliver country action plans that elaborate concrete commitments on open government. In each country, these commitments are developed through a multi-stakeholder process, with the active engagement of citizens and civil society.
    Continue reading →

    Continue Reading →

    National Dialogue For Improving Federal Websites

    This announcement comes from GSA: From: Lisa Nelson (XCI) Date: Mon, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:42 AM Subject: Invitation to Participate in the National Dialogue on Improving Fedeal Websites NATIONAL DIALOGUE FOR IMPROVING FEDERAL WEBSITES Please join me in participating in an exciting initiative that starts today: The National Dialogue on Improving Federal Websites. The Dialogue is a nationwide, two-week online conversation with web experts and the public to generate ideas for re-inventing how the federal government delivers information and services online. It's part of the larger .gov Reform Initiative launched earlier this summer by the White House and the U.S. General Services Administration. The dialogue will launch today, Monday, Sept. 19 at 2 pm ET and run until Friday, Sept. 30. You'll be able to access it at: http://www.usa.gov/webreform/dialogue.shtml The purpose is to allow people to submit and vote on ideas for improving various aspects of improving federal websites, such as: content, search, usability, accessibility, social media, multilingual content, and online services. The .gov Task Force will review the ideas and consider them as they develop a National Web Strategy and make recommendations for streamlining federal websites, strengthening federal web policy, and improving citizens' experience with federal websites. I know you have a goldmine of ideas, so I hope you'll actively participate in the discussion and share your expertise and knowledge. We want to hear what's working well, what can be improved, innovative ways to rethink the federal web, and specific examples you have from your industry or organization. Although the focus is on federal websites, we'd love to get the perspective of all of you in state and local government too, since many of the challenges andopportunities are the same. You can also follow comments about the dialogue on Twitter under the hashtag #dotgov. Please share with your networks and encourage your friends and colleagues to take part in this important conversation -- Lisa Nelson Research and Strategic Partnerships Center for Digital Government Excellence Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies General Services Administration 202-208-2530 Continue reading →

    Continue Reading →

    The Obama Administration’s Commitment to Open Government

    The White House has released a new report, on open government:

    In an analysis, Steven Aftergood says the report, "downplays or overlooks many of the Administration's principal achievements in reducing inappropriate secrecy. At the same time, it fails to acknowledge the major defects of the openness program to date. And so it presents a muddled picture of the state of open government, while providing a poor guide to future policy. Continue reading →

    Continue Reading →

    Economic census could get reprieve

    Economic census could get reprieve, by LIZ ENOCHS, Housing Wire (September 17, 2011).

    The 2012 economic census, which was at risk of being eliminated after the House of Representatives sliced the Census Bureau's funding 25% two months ago, could be retained after the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations voted for a smaller funding cut and specifically voiced its support for the report.... It's still unclear whether the Senate's smaller budget cut will leave the bureau enough financial wiggle room to continue producing the report, which costs $124 million, according to figures from NABE.
    Continue reading →

    Continue Reading →

    Latest Posts

    Latest Comments

    Blogroll

    Archives

    Meta

    Archives

    Powered by WordPress / Academica WordPress Theme by WPZOOM