Mastering United States Government Information: Sources and Services

The second edition of an award-winning text on government information for information professionals and those researching all branches of the US government. A comprehensive textbook for library school courses on US government information, the second edition of Mastering United States Government Information can also be relied upon as a training tool for those new to the government documents community. Written by Christopher C. Brown, coordinator of government documents at the University of Denver, this approachable book provides an introduction to all major areas of US government information. Including detailed information on all three branches of federal government as well as state and local government, this wide-ranging resource teaches readers to use census data, understand the regulatory process, cite government data, work with mapping and geographic information systems, and navigate intellectual property. Important updates to the second edition include a robust look at Data.census.gov, further elaboration on bill tracking, and enhanced instructional tools for dealing with documents that will never change and the ever-changing discovery tools and web portals that have transformed access to these documents. Examples throughout the text help users understand real-life information challenges, while exercises at the end of chapters help them become comfortable answering government information questions on their own. Several appendixes serve as quick reference sources. Students and practitioners will appreciate Brown’s clear writing style and the breadth of information in this valuable resource.