The Government Information Interest Group

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2010 Conference program

In The Shadows of Giant Elms: Fostering Stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay. Friday, April 16, 2010.

When John Smith explored the Bay in 1607, giant elms and chestnuts the size of California redwoods stood over the huge forest and clear waters. Shipbuilding, tobacco farming, industry and suburban living have all taken their toll on H.L. Mencken's "immense protein factory." The Chesapeake Bay Program is a federal, state, local and nonprofit partnership founded in 1983, and works to protect and restore the Bay. Ms. Kristina Hopkins, outreach coordinator, presented a well-received program on how libraries, particularly public ones, can support and encourage the care and awareness of the Bay. Most of the Bay's pollution, once thought to be primarily the result of agriculture, is mostly caused by ordinary residents, and residents can take action to heal the bay. Beginning with basic steps such as book displays and building awareness among library patrons, the library can also promote the use of rain barrels, stencil storm drains, install fundraising "vending machines" to collect money for the Bay, and build rain gardens to catch corrosive runoff from parking lots and roads near the library. Her account was well-organized and favorably reviewed by the sizable crowd of attendees. More information can be found at the Chesapeake Bay Program Web Site at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/.

Events

An Update to the USA Patriot Act - Are We Ready?

The November 9, 2006, 'An Update to the USA Patriot Act - Are We Ready?' program sponsored by IFAP/GID has been canceled, due to low registration.

Events

GID Business and Program Planning Meeting
Tuesday, August 1, 2006

The Government Information Division will be having a business and program planning meeting on Tuesday, August 1st. We will be meeting in Frederick County Public library's Business Resource Center room, at 10:30. Come join us as we work on structuring our conference program on an introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), as well as pitch ideas for future programs! Everyone and their ideas are welcome to attend. Dutch lunch to follow the meeting for those that can stay.

"Gateway to Government Information"

FirstGov.gov, Your One Stop Shopping Connection!

Thursday, June 8, 2006, Community Information Room, Frederick County Libraries, 110 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD, 21701

This program was worth 2 contact hours of continuing education.

Martin Kwapinski, Senior Content Manager of FirstGov.gov, and Marybeth Murphy, Web Content Manager of FirstGov.gov gave an overview of the features and types of information available through FirstGov.gov at www.firstgov.gov with an informative PowerPoint presentation, a live demonstration of the U.S. Government's Official Web Portal of FirstGov.gov, and a brief hands-on searching and testing scenario workshop for all attendees. Martin Kwapinski gave a history of how FirstGov.gov was created when Internet entrepreneur Eric Brewer offered to donate a search engine to the U.S. Government in 2000, President Bush accepted the gift and instructed that FirstGov.gov be launched within 90 days, and that FirstGov.gov first went live on September 22, 2000 to be the Official Web Portal of the U.S. Government. FirstGov.gov customers include all citizens, businesses and nonprofits, and federal, state, and local governments. This portal allows web site visitors to browse U.S. Government information by: organization; audience; topic; online service; location; and top request. One of the more popular features of FirstGov.gov is the "A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies", which was noted in feedback from many FirstGov.gov users. There is also a Spanish version of FirstGov.gov available at "FirstGov en Espanol" at www.espanol.gov . A new web page design to FirstGov.gov is expected to be released in late 2006.

Marybeth Murphy presented on FirstGov.gov site innovations such as RSS (Really Simple Syndication) that is written in XML Internet coding language and was launched on FirstGov.gov in January 2006. FirstGov.gov RSS can collect and view feeds from various sources using a RSS Reader. Another innovation of FirstGov.gov is that E-Mail updates are sent to users who request this service to let them know when their favorite pages of FirstGov.gov have been updated.

UPDATE January 18, 2007: FirstGov.gov launched a new design, URL, and name for the U.S. Government's Official Web Portal. The English version is now USA.gov at www.usa.gov and the Spanish version is now GobiernoUSA.gov at www.GobiernoUSA.gov. "Gobierno" is Spanish for "government", and "USA" is the term that most people associate with this county.

2006 MLA Conference

"The State of Agricultural Information Dissemination"

Speaker Dr. Thomas A. Fretz (former Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland) traced the history of the Land Grant Movement; Speaker Mary Ellen Waltemire (Western Regional Director for the Maryland Cooperative Extension) discussed the Maryland Cooperative Extension Program and how to get involved through a local extension office; Speakers Robyn Truslow (Public Relations Coordinator, Calvert County Libraries) and Susan Stonesifer (Manager, Glenwood Branch Library, Howard County Libraries) demonstrated creative partnerships with the Maryland Cooperative Extension and public libraries; Speaker Melanie Gardner (AGNIC Coordinator, National Agricultural Library) presented information on the development of AGNIC and its resources.

Class Garden Smarter 2005-06 flyer
Gardening bibliography
Robyn Truslow presentation
Melanie Gardner presentation
Dr. Thomas A. Fretz presentation
Mary Ellen Waltemire presentation

Events

Pathways to Information

September 23, 2004, C&O Canal Towpath, Williamsport, MD

A National Park Service Ranger provided an interesting lecture on the historical, cultural, recreational, and educational information resources offered at visitor centers along the Canal, followed by a guided hike along the Canal’s Towpath.

Disappearing Government Information

November 9, 2004, New Carrollton Library, New Carrollton, MD; co-sponsored with the Intellectual Freedom Panel

Over 20 people attended to listen to two panelists: Rebecca Daugherty, Director of the Freedom of Information Services Center, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and Patrice McDermott, Associate Director of the Office of Government Relations, ALA Washington Office. The two discussed government attempts to limit public access to information, looking in particular at the Presidential Records and Federal Advisory Committee Acts, and talking about trends in classification.  On a more positive note, they also mentioned the efforts of the Federal Geographic Data Committee and GPO, as well as the E-Government initiative.

It’s All in the Numbers: Mine the 2002 Economic Census for Valuable Nuggets about Your Community

Annual Conference Program; co-sponsored with the Library Management Division

Speaker Paul Zeisset, Special Assistant to the Chief of the Census Bureau's Economic Planning and Coordination Division, demonstrated how to access data from local communities, focusing on the newly-released 2002 Economic Census data. Mr. Zeisset also highlighted changes to the Economic Census, for example, showing how the coverage of the Economic Census has expanded over time (it now includes such areas as transportation).  Jane Traynham, Manager of the Maryland State Data Center, demonstrated how to navigate the Maryland State Data Center website, from which a large quantity of Maryland-specific and local reports and data can be accessed.

Fact or Fiction: Putting Government Information to Work

Annual Conference Program

This entertaining program featured 3 panelists who use government information in the course of their work: Ira Chinoy, former investigative reporter/writer for The Washington Post and visiting Professor, Phillip Merrill School of Journalism, University of Maryland; Sandy Levy, Director of Library Services for The Baltimore Sun; and Marcia Talley, award-winning mystery writer and a former librarian at the GAO. The presenters detailed their experiences finding and using government information and discussed challenges in gaining access to public information.

Questions or suggestions related to content should be directed to .Donna Colamatteo

Last updated 23 June 2007.