Gov Docs on OMB Watch
Here is a quick source of links to agencies and some key government documents dealing with government information policy.
OMB Watch is a nonprofit government watchdog organization whose mission is to promote open government, accountability and citizen participation. One of its major issue areas is Information Access. On its website, it lists several specific categories of information access issues that it tracks: Homeland Security, Environmental Right to Know, Data Quality Act, Peer Review, Politics & Science, Freedom of Information, Whistleblowers, and State Policies. In most of these policy areas, they have a useful page devoted to "Gov Docs" where they link to agencies and official and unofficial sources of laws, regulations, and reports dealing with government information policy.
- Homeland Security Gov Docs
- Environmental Right to Know Gov Docs
- Data Quality Act Gov Docs
- Peer Review Gov Docs
- Freedom of Information Gov Docs
- Whistleblowers Gov Docs
Please donate to the Pacifica Radio Archives
I was listening to KPFA, my local pacifica station this morning, and they were having a fund drive for the Pacifica Radio Archives. The archives contain the voices of 20th century history: Studs Terkel, Mahalia Jackson, James Baldwin, Gore Vidal, Alice Walker, Martin Luther King, jr., Rosa Parks, bell hooks, and *many* more voices of peace and justice! The fund drive is needed to support their preservation project (and other projects) which seeks to digitize many of the old tapes in the archive in order to make them more accessible and longer-living. Or think about a donation in someone else's name for the holidays -- really, how many ties does your dad really need?! Please, please, PLEASE donate to the pacifica archives if you can! [Please note: I am not on the Pacifica board and FGI has no affiliation whatsoever with Pacifica. I just think that librarians and those interested in preserving history should support valuable preservation projects like this one.] Continue reading
Consumer Action Handbook
The approach of December means that millions of Americans will soon be shopping, shipping, printing, mailing, baking, eating, traveling, and/or simply hiding at home and watching cable TV or DVDs. Whatever the case, most people will spend the last month of the year consuming a wide variety of goods and services. Therefore, this is an excellent time to think about being a wise consumer. Two sources that can help you in this quest are the Consumer Action Handbook and the Consumer Action Website. Both are produced by the General Services Administration’s Federal Citizen Information Center. Both provide a wealth of advice on what to consider before and after making a purchase. They also provide information about the proper way to file a complaint if the item or service you purchased was unsatisfactory, in addition to a long list of consumer contacts at major corporations. One feature available on the website that isn’t replicated in the Handbook is the Consumer News box. This very useful little box provides links to consumer alerts and announcements from a number of different federal agencies. To paraphrase both the Coneheads and Sergeant Esterhaus from Hill Street Blues, go forth and consume mass quantities, but hey, let’s be careful out there. P.S. Thanks for letting me be the Blogger for November. It was fun! Continue reading
FCC program to fund broadband for rural healthcare
FCC LAUNCHES "RURAL HEALTH CARE PILOT PROGRAM" WEBSITE Press Release (November 21, 2006) fcc.gov
The FCC has launched a website (http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/rural/rhcp.html) that provides a consolidated source of information about the FCC's recently announced Rural Health Care Pilot Program. The website includes the Order adopting the pilot program and the accompanying news release, a PDF slide presentation giving an overview of the program, and frequently asked questions (FAQs), The website will be updated periodically, as appropriate. The FCC's pilot program is an innovative, enhanced funding initiative intended to help public and non-profit health care providers construct state- and region-wide broadband networks to provide telehealth and telemedicine services throughout the nation. The program will fund up to 85% of the costs of constructing those networks, as well as the costs of advanced telecommunications and information services that will ride over these networks. If selected, up to 85% of the cost of connecting to Internet2, a dedicated nationwide backbone, may also be funded by the pilot program. Connection to Internet 2 is not required, but may be requested by the applicants....Continue reading
Digital Distribution Response and Comment Submitted to GPO and DLC
We'd like to thank everyone who took the time to comment on the GPO/DLC Digital Discussion questions that we at FGI prepared responses to. Our input along with your comments and a cover letter, have been submitted to selected GPO staff and all members of the Depository Library Council. If you have thoughts about how either the Government Printing Office or the Depository Library Council could broaden the discussion on digital distribution of federal electronic documents, please comment here or consider sending a suggestion through the GPO Help System, available from any page on GPO Access. Continue reading