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Join us at our new home, Samford Government Documents. 

Online Release of the 1940 Census

The 1940 census will be released online to the public on April 2, 2012 at 9:00 am (eastern). This is the first time a census will be released online. See some interesting comparisons between 1940 & 2010 from the Facts for Features Special Edition news release by the Census Bureau. View this clip from the National Archives to learn about staff preparations & how to use the data. A look back at history will show a poster created to encourage citizens to complete the 1940 census from the Library of Congress.

Gas Prices

Evidently, lots of Alabamians have extra money for gas because they sure aren't slowing down. Anyone else wondering why the price of gas keeps rising? Or, are you looking for tips to lower the amount of gas you purchase each week?

Data Privacy for Consumers

Yesterday, the White House took another step in the direction of creating data privacy for consumers. We Can’t Wait: Obama Administration Calls for A Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights for the Digital Age, blog post includes the background steps with an outline of future steps. The full document, Consumer Data Privacy in a Networked World is available online.

A New Cool App: Amazing Ocean

Granted, this new app from the Department of State and the Smithsonian isn't yet available in iTunes but if you are remotely interested in our oceans then you'll want to access is via the WebApp until it's released. Android users can begin discussing topics such as protecting our oceans, mysteries, and natural disasters.

Japanese Tsunami Debri

It's almost been one year since the earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan. This post by the NOAA Marine Debris Program shares how the debris that could possibly be washed up on US shores will be dealt with.

50th Anniversary of John Glenn Orbiting the Earth

Today NASA is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first American orbiting the earth. John Glenn was the astronaut circling the earth in the Mercury "Friendship 7" spacecraft.

Teachers: Elevate & Respect

The Department of Education is launching the RESPECT Project which will aid the Obama Administration's $5 billion competitive program. RESPECT stands for Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence and Collaborative Teaching and will aid teachers in gaining respect, in learning to not teach to the test, and to bring back creativity and passion into the classroom. The $5 billion competitive program basically encourages EVERYONE involved in education to work together (is that a nod to the golden rule?). Learn more about both initiatives from the Department of Education's press release. Note the related resources box to the right of the release.

The President's Budget

The budget for fiscal year 2013 is now available in a variety of formats along with remarks, discussion, and a bit of history.

• Online from FDsys
• Purchase from U.S. Government Bookstore
• App from GPO 
• Press release about the app
• Slides from Slideshare
• Chat from Storify
• Remarks by the President on the Budget (White House)
• The President’s Budget (Law Library of Congress)

Poets Laureate

Have you ever wondered what on earth does a poet laureate do? Wonder no more by reading the latest post from the blog From the Catbird Seat (Library of Congress).

National Park Service Museum Collections

Now you can search the collections of the National Park Service Museum. You will be able to find images and records by searching for the park name, keyword or other limiters.

War Relocation Authority 1942-1946

Search the War Relocation Authority (Ohio GODORT Digital Collections) database for documents about the relocation of Japanese and Japanese Americans during World War II. Need more information about the relocation itself? Links to background information are available on the search page. SU community members may also use Credo Reference as a reliable source using these phrases internment camps or War Relocation Authority.

Finding Historic American Newspapers

History students take note, the Library of Congress has a digitized collection of historic American newspapers, Chronicling America, from 1836-1922.

Documents of the Month: The Space Shuttle Program - Looking Back

For this month, our display will look back at the space shuttle program.

• Space Shuttle
• The partnership: Space shuttle, space science and space station
• Wings in orbit: Scientific and engineering legacies of the space shuttle
• The space shuttle at work
• Aboard the space shuttle
• Power to explore: A history of Marshall Space Flight Center 1960-1990
• Space shuttle: NASA's answer to operations in near-earth orbit
• Space shuttle food systems
• Shuttle imaging radar view the earth from challenger: The SIR-B experiment
• Life aboard the space shuttle
• Space shuttle avionics system
• Space shuttle: The renewed promise
• Space shuttle
• Space shuttle research reports
• Space shuttle: Activities for primary and intermediate students
• The space shuttle decision: NASA's search for a reusable space vehicle
• Chronology of space shuttle flights 1981-2000
• Space Shuttle Missions
• Centennial of flight, 1903-2003
• Shuttle-Mir: The United States and Russia share history's highest stage

The Super Bowl & Government Documents

Bet you didn't think of all the ways documents are involved with the Super Bowl!

• Game ball (Smithsonian)
• Security
• Department of Homeland Security image
• FBI podcast
• Food Safety (USDA)
• Score a Food Safety Touchdown at Your Super Bowl XLVI Party (FSIS)
• Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods (FSIS)
• Wings! Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating (FSIS)
• 6 NASA technologies in play at the Super Bow (GCN)

New Documents on Display

Our new documents are now on display. Thanks to Rebekah Wood for making this possible.

• Operation Unified Response: Air Mobility Command’s Response to the 2010 Haiti Earthquake Crisis
• Beneath the Surface: Thirty Years of Historical Archaeology in Skagway, Alaska
• When Biospheres Collide:  A History of NASA’s Planetary Protection Programs
• Then Came the Fire: Personal Accounts from the Pentagon, 11 September 2001
• A Primer for Women’s Health
• Bumble Bees of the Eastern United States
• The First 109 Minutes: 9/11 and the U.S. Air Force
• How We Can Protect Our Children from Secondhand Smoke: A Parent’s Guide

You will be able to locate the new documents on top of the bookshelf to the right of the government documents counter.

Unknown Pill Identifier

Here's a resource for our pharmacy and nursing students, Pillbox. This nifty database helps you to identify an unknown pill. Keep in mind that it's still beta and is not yet ready for clinical use.

Bees!

Learn how a partnership that includes the USDA is working to develop a bee friendly seed mix. The seed mix will help bees to pollinate flowering plants and, once the right mix is developed, it will be placed on farms.

Workshop: American FactFinder 2

Today Samford University Library hosted "Accessing Census Data Workshop" which focused on the  American FactFinder 2. The workshop was offered by the Government Documents round table of the Alabama Library Association.

Since seating was limited and I'm sure you would like to learn more about the latest edition of American FactFinder, you can learn more about AFF2 from their training presentations and the E-Tutorial. More help may be found under the Guidance For Data Users tab on the main site. As well, questions may be searched and/or submitted by using the About Us option on the Census.gov site.

Happy Data Searching!

The FBI and DNA

Here's a 2 part interesting Q & A about how the FBI uses DNA to help solve crimes. Part 1: A Look at the Nationwide System that Helps Solve Crimes & Part 2: More About the Nationwide System that Helps Solve Crimes.

Tuskegee Airmen

The movie is a hit and so are the Tuskegee Airmen themselves. Did you realize that there are documents about the men from Tuskegee and their service? Use this guide, Tuskegee Airmen, created by Paula Web & Vicki Tate at the University of South Alabama to find electronic (free) and print documents.

State of the Union Address 2012

If you missed the address or would like to review it, the White House has an enhanced version available.
Other formats:

• Electronic Version on FDsys
• Photos from The White House
• Transcript from The White House

Interested in the history of the State of the Union address?

• State of the Union Address - House
• State of the Union Address - Senate
• State of the Union Address from In Custodia Legis - Law Librarians of Congress

Disaster Preparation in the Classroom

FEMA has made it easy for teachers to add an active discussion on disaster preparedness to their curriculum with the Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) program. Obviously, after April 27 and yesterday, we all need to be prepared.

Administrators, here's a resource for you from the Department of Education, Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance (REMS TA) Center.

More Tornadoes (January 23, 2012)

Central Alabama, along with other parts of the south, endured more tornadoes early this morning. Once again, here are resources for recovery and about the event:

• Christian Service Mission's Facebook page
• Alabama EMA press release
• Alabama Red Cross
• FEMA
• Event Summary for Central Alabama National Weather Service, Birmingham office

I'll try to update the list as information becomes available. 

America's Great Outdoors

Be sure to add America's Great Outdoors to your daily must read list. This blog from the Department of Interior showcases photos taken from our great outdoors.

There's an App for it: Congressional Record

Now iPad users may read the daily edition of the Congressional Record using the Congressional Record App from iTunes. Learn more about the app, the Congressional Record itself and how to read the daily edition if you don't own an iPad from the blog post, Now There’s a Congressional Record App for That (Law Librarians of Congress).

Piracy & the Internet

Why is Wikipedia down today? Why does Google have a black box over their logo today? Because these sites  are taking action against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act H.R.3261) & PIPA (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011 S.968). The links to the bills include the full text and Congressional Research Summaries.

Need access to an online encyclopedia or dictionary today? If you have a SU userid & password, use Credo Reference. If you live in Alabama, use a resource from the Alabama Virtual Library. If you live in a different state, check your local public library or the virtual library for your state.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among High School Students — United States, 2010

Read Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among High School Students — United States, 2010 to learn more about the fruit & veg eating habits of high school students. It would be nice if the report included if the fruits & vegetables were eaten at home or at school and then, were the items brought from home or purchased at school.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Learn more about the man, Martin Luther King, Jr., the memorial and the day of service from this search result on USA.gov.

Save Energy Save Money

Use Home Energy Saver to learn how much energy your home currently uses and receive recommendations on how to improve your energy use which will save you money.

Is the World Going to End on Dec. 21, 2012?

Learn what the scientists have to say about it. This FAQ from NASA, 2012: Beginning of the End or Why the World Won't End?, answers some of the questions about the Mayan calendar and Dec. 21, 2012.

The 90+: Who Are They?

The Census Bureau has released an American Community Survey report about the members of our population over the age of 90, 90+ in the United States: 2006–2008. Some of the findings might surprise you.

Earthquake Photo Collections

View photos from specific earthquakes in the Earthquake Photo Collections by USGS. Use The Karl V. Steinbrugge Slide and Photograph Collection (listed under Non-USGS Collections) to find photos from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. 

Homework Tips for Parents

Is your child's current report card causing you to reassess the way you handle homework in your home? If so, get some help from the Department of Education's Homework Tips for Parents.

Our Military in the 21st Century

The Department of Defense just published Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense. The document outlines the future missions and strategies of our military.

New Documents on Display

Thanks to Rebekah Wood for the display this month. Please note this display is located at the front of government documents.

• The James Webb Space Telescope: Science Guide
• The Senate’s Civil War
• The World Factbook 2011
• The National Archives Experience: Visitor’s Guide
• U.S. Marines in Iraq, 2004-2005: Into the Fray
• Beyond Horizons: A Half Century of Air Force Space Leadership
• Let’s Move Faith and Communities: Toolkit for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Organizations
• The Legacy of Saxman: Looking to the Future Through Our Past
• Snapshots from the Past: A Roadside History of Denali National Park and Reserve
• Flight 93
• Freedom by the Sword: The U.S. Colored Troops 1862-1867
• Closing the Deal: 33 Answers
• Shopping for Your Loan: 33 Answers
• Shopping for Your Home: 33 Answers
• The Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Policy 1961-1964

Understanding the Iowa Caucuses

Here's an interactive explanation by the DesMoines Register of how the democrat & republican caucuses work.

Add the Google Politics & Elections website to your list of election resources. The site includes trends, results (currently showing Iowa) along with links to news articles broken down by candidate and issues.

Tax Guide 2011 for Individuals

Are you ready to file your taxes? Just in case, preview the Tax Guide 2011 for Individuals (Publication 17) to see if you can take advantage of the many recovery tax benefits. You will also be able to find answers to many of your tax questions in the guide.

Funding by State from HHS

Do you know how much funding from the Recovery Act your state received from the Department of Health & Human Services? Alabama received more than $1.6 billion.