Bill Sudduth Head, Government Information and Microforms Department University of South Carolina Thomas Cooper Library

Office phone: 803-777-1775 Dept. phone: 803-777-4841 Fax:803-777-9503 email:sudduthw@gwm.sc.edu

Class outline:

Unit 1: Introduction to Federal Information: Current Trends, Basic Finding Aids and Sources
Unit 2: Executive Agency Resources - Statistical Information Sources, including Census Data
Unit 3: Legislative Branch Resources - From "bill" to "code" - Legislative histories
Unit 4: Independent agencies, federal regulations, and the judicial process and resources
Unit 5: Retrospective resources - finding aids and tricks of the trade
Special Topics: Scientific & Technical Information including Patents and Maps
Unit 6: State and Local government information resources
Unit 7: International Governmental Organizations: United Nations, European Union, and IGO's

Class schedule:

Date	Activity	Assignment
January 9	Unit 1 - Introduction to Government Information Sources	Robinson, chapters 1-2
January 14	On-site - Columbia, SC	Organization of a Government Information Service and Tour of TCL Depository Collections
Janaury 19-22	Bill @ ALA Midwinter Meetings
January 23	Unit 1 - Locating current information sources	Robinson, chapters 3-4
January 30	Unit 2 - Executive Agency information sources	Assignment #1 - Current information sources due; Robinson, chapters 10,12
February 6	Unit 2 - Statistical Information Sources, Census Information and American Factfinder	Robinson, chapter 8 Assignment of issues papers/topics
February 13	Unit 3 - Legislative Process	Assignment #2 - Executive agency/statistical sources assignment due
February 20	Unit 3 - Tracking Legislation - Legislative History
February 27	Unit 4 - Regulatory Process - CFR & the Federal Register & Independent Agencies	Assignment #3 - Legislative Branch assignment due; Robinson, chapter 9
March 5-11	Spring Break
March 13	Unit 5 - Retrospective Resources - Locating pre-1976 information	Robinson, chapter 5
March 18	On-site - Columbia, SC	Assignment #4 - Regulatory and independent agency information sources due Retrospective resources - begin assignment #5
March 20	Beyond the US Congressional Serial Set
March 27	Special Topic: Scientific and technical Information including Patents and Trademarks + Geographic Information	Assignment #5 - Retrospective resources due Robinson, chapter 14-15
March 31-April 6	Bill @ Depository Library Council Meeting
April 3	Unit 6: State and Local Government Information
April 10	Special Topic: Future of the FDLP and Government Information Services in Libraries	Assignment #6 - Government information in the media due
April 24	Unit 7: International Information Sources	Assignment #7 - International information sources due

SLIS J734 OUTLINE

Unit I: Introduction to Federal Information: Current Issues, Trends and Sources

1. Course introduction and requirements
2. The federal government: introduction
3. The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)
4. The Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs)
5. Monthly Catalog
6. Current status of federal government information systems
7. Government information: problems and issues
8. Information policy and government: problems and issues

Unit II: Executive Departments Information Systems

1. Office of the President
2. Miscellaneous Executive Departments
3. Census Bureau publications and American Factfinder

Unit III: Legislative Branch Information Systems

1. The legislative process and information sources
2. Guides to legislative information
3. Library of Congress
4. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Unit IV: Information Systems of Regulatory and Independent Agencies

1. From laws to regulations: the process
2. The Federal Register/ Code of Federal Regulations
3. Purpose of independent and regulatory agencies
4. Review of information sources of selected agencies

Unit V: Introduction to Federal Information: Retrospective Sources

1. Brief review of early government publishing
2. Bibliographies and indexes

Special Topic: Scientific Information & Resources plus Patents and Trademarks

1. Scientific Information Resources
2. Introduction to patents and trademarks
3. Patent literature and distribution systems
4. Searching for patents and trademarks

Special Topic: Government Produced Maps and other Geographical Information

1. Federal maps
2. State maps
3. Other government maps and geographical information

Unit VI: State and Local Governments Information Systems

1. Introduction to state government information systems
2. Specific government information sources
3. County governments information systems
4. Municipal governments information systems
5. Other local government information systems

Special Topic: Future of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and
Serices for Government Information in LIbraries

Unit VII: International Governmental Organizations: UN and IGOs

1. United Nations
2. European Union
3. International Governmental Organizations (IGOs)
4. International Statistical Information Sources

COURSE OBJECTIVES

(1.) To become familiar with the nature and current status of U.S. federal government information systems and sources;
(2.) To become familiar with the nature and sources of U.S. federal information produced in the past;
(3.) To be able to search effectively, in manual and online sources, for information produced by any U.S. government agency,
state government agencies, and local governments agencies in the US;
(4.) To understand the processes by which federal government information is created, distributed, and used;
(5.) To be able to make informed decisions about the selection, acquisition, description, arrangement and use of federal information sources;
(6.) To have a beginning familiarity with state, county and municipal government information systems and sources.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS CLIS J734

The following graded assignments are required:

No. 1: current information sources (January 30) - 11%
No. 2: census and statistical information sources (February 13) - 11%
No. 3: legislative information sources (February 27) - 11%
No. 4: regulatory and independent agency information (March 18) - 11%
No. 5: retrospective information sources (March 27) - 15%
No. 6: government information in the media (April 10) - 20%
No. 7: international information resources (April 24) - 11%

Class participation in online discussions and onsites- 10%

All assignments turned in late, without consent of the instructor, will be penalized one letter grade for each day they are late. You should make and keep a photocopy of all assignments before you submit them. In addition, it is your responsibility to maintain all assignments returned to you in case a question occurs later about a grade for a particular assignment.


READINGS

The following textbook is required. Assignments will be made to the chapters in it.

Robinson, Judith S. Tapping the Government Grapevine: The User-Friendly Guide to U.S. Government Information Sources. 3rd ed. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1998.
Hernon, Peter S., Dugan and Shuler, U.S. Government Information on the Web. 3rd ed. Libraries Unlimited, 2003

In addition, required and suggested readings will be made on various units. You should also attempt to review the last few years issues of: Government Publications Review, Documents to the People (Dttp), Government Information Quarterly

Attendance and Participation

Each member of the class will participate in online discussion related to the course materials and the three issues discussions that will be held during the semester.