IMLS grant to University of Illinois
Nearly Half a Million Dollars for University of Illinois and Pew Research Center Internet Investigation, Institute of Museum and Library Services press release, October 5, 2005.
The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services announced a cooperative agreement today with the University of Illinois Library Research Center (LRC) to investigate, in partnership with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, how effectively public libraries and community technology centers provide government information to people with limited access to the Internet. The agency awarded $495,053 for the national study; findings and recommendations for improving services to the public are expected in October 2007.Continue reading
More on Education Dept. Propaganda
Last month the Department of Education essentially exonerated itself of wrongdoing in producing fake news stories and covertly paying journalists to promote administration policies. (See: Does Covert Government Information = Propaganda?) Now, the Government Accountability Office says that payments to broadcast commentator Armstrong Williams to promote its "No Child Left Behind" policy were illegal, and that the payments violated prohibitions on funding "covert propaganda." It also denounced a prepackaged television story disseminated by the Education Department. Stories on the report:
- Buying of News by Bush's Aides Is Ruled Illegal, By ROBERT PEAR, New York Times, Section A; Column 1; Pg. 1 Sept. 30, 2005.
- Armstrong Williams Payments Illegal, Says GAO By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable, 9/30/2005 Continue reading
Problems with Contract Database
An example of the problems involved with the government relying on the private sector to provide access to government information is provided by the Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation ("FPDS-NG"). This story from last February provides a good background on the issues.
Access Questioned In New Contract Database, by Rebecca Carr, Cox News Service, (02/04/05).It describes how, for 25 years, the public could purchase CDs of federal contracting data for as little as $60 per quarter but that, in 2003, the General Services Administration paid a contractor $24 million to build a web based system. Problems with the sytem include:
- key search fields are not available
- users are required to register enabling the government to keep track of each user's research
- businesses and interest groups must pay a one-time fee of up to $2500
- A FOIA request for the data was refused
More on iPod Subway Maps
The Los Angeles Times has an editorial about the subway map redistribution issue.
- Derailing iPod maps, EDITORIAL, Los Angeles Times October 3, 2005.
The transit agencies may want to license their logos for T-shirts and baseball caps, but their maps should belong to the public.Continue reading
“Self-sustaining” competes with public good
Berandine has an excellent comment this week on the govdoc-l mailing list and I encourage you to read it in case you missed it.
- Re: Cataloging Service Bulletin by Bernadine Abbott Hoduski, Discussion of Government Document Issues, Mon, 3 Oct 2005