{"id":63,"date":"2022-03-04T21:18:06","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T21:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/chapter\/learning-objectives\/"},"modified":"2024-08-08T23:07:29","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T23:07:29","slug":"learning-objectives","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/chapter\/learning-objectives\/","title":{"raw":"Scientific and Technical Information","rendered":"Scientific and Technical Information"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"learning-objectives\">\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3 itemprop=\"educationalUse\">Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n \t<li>Become familiar with the types of information and subject matter covered in government technical reports<\/li>\n \t<li>Identify resources and databases to locate government technical and scientific information<\/li>\n \t<li>Understand bibliographic control of government scientific and technical literature and data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"import-Normal\">Introduction<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Governments conduct research and provide funding to research institutions to further the government\u2019s aims.\u00a0The earliest examples of government scientific and technical literature in the United States were surveys of the waters and natural resources of the United States and its territories. The <em>Report of the Expedition of the Squadron of Dragoons to the Rocky Mountains During the Summer of 1835<\/em> is typical of the many explorations funded by Congress, to which exploring expeditions submitted their official reports.[footnote]U.S. House of Representatives. (1836). <em>Report of the expedition of the squadron of dragoons to the Rocky Mountains during the summer of 1835.<\/em>\u00a024th Congress, 1st session, H.doc. 18.[\/footnote] Annual reports of executive branch agencies also included reports of research, such as the report <em>Omaha Dwellings, Furniture, and Implements<\/em> published in the Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology for 1891-1892.[footnote]Dorsey, J. O. (1896). Omaha dwellings, furniture, and implements. In <em>Thirteenth annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1891-92<\/em>. Government Printing Office.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">As time went by, Congress required that reports be made on the results of scientific investigations funded by the government. For example, the fifth report of the U.S. Entomological Commission contained several articles about injurious insects, which were such a scourge in the nineteenth century that Congress was motivated to fund research about them.[footnote]Packard, A. S. (1890). <em>Fifth report of the United States Entomological Commission<\/em>. Government Printing Office.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Most frequently, scientific or technical information is issued in the form of reports of research conducted by agency employees or contractors. The Department of Defense's <em>Glossary of Information Handling<\/em> defined a technical report as:<\/p>\n\n<blockquote><span>A report concerning the results of a scientific investigation or a technical development, test or evaluation, presented in a form suitable for dissemination to the technological community. The technical report is usually more detailed than an article or paper appearing in a journal or presented at a meeting. It will normally contain sufficient data to enable the qualified reader to evaluate the investigative process or the original research or development.[footnote]U.S. Department of Defense. (1964). <em>Glossary of information handling<\/em>. U.S. Government Printing Office.[\/footnote]<\/span><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">These reports may be issued in series such as bulletins, circulars, technical memoranda, technical reports, professional papers, and so forth.\u00a0We refer to these series, which are usually issued on an irregular basis, as <em>monographic series<\/em>, because each issue in the series is a [pb_glossary id=\"149\"]monograph[\/pb_glossary] with a distinctive title.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Conference proceedings are another form of government scientific or technical literature. For example, the 2009 International Miconia Conference was sponsored by several government agencies including the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Maui Invasive Species Committee. The proceedings are posted on the conference website but were not issued in book form.[footnote]Loope, L. L., Meyer, J. Y., Hardesty, B. D. &amp; Smith, C. W. (eds.). (2009). <em>Proceedings of the International Miconia Conference, Keanae, Maui, Hawaii, May 4-7, 2009<\/em>. Maui Invasive Species Committee and Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai\u2018i at M\u0101noa.[\/footnote] Because the proceedings were not issued as a publication, they are also an example of [pb_glossary id=\"144\"]grey literature[\/pb_glossary]. Open-file reports published by the U.S. Geological Survey are another example of grey literature. These reports cover topics such as stream flows, mineral resources, and mapping.[footnote]U.S. Geological Survey. <em>Open-file reports.<\/em> https:\/\/pubs.er.usgs.gov\/browse\/Report\/USGS Numbered Series\/Open-File Report\/[\/footnote] State and local governments, universities, and intergovernmental organizations also produce scientific and technical reports.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Examples<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n \t<li><em>The Zebra Mussel: Impacts and Control<\/em> (Cornell University)<\/li>\n \t<li><em>Bibliography of Dengue Fever and Dengue-like Illnesses, 1780-1981<\/em> (South Pacific Commission)<\/li>\n \t<li><em>A Contribution to the Tornado Intercept Project 1977:\u00a0Final Report<\/em> (University of Oklahoma Department of Meteorology)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n&nbsp;\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Many technical reports are \u201cunreported\u201d publications\u2014in other words, they are not captured in the usual databases, catalogs, bibliographies, or lists of publications, and they are not included in a depository distribution system. In some cases, unreported publications may only exist in a regional office of a government agency, or they may have been distributed to a limited audience at a conference. This is because technical reports are submitted to the funding agency to document progress on a research project. Therefore, the intended audience is the supervising agency, not the research community at large. Thus, a researcher might have to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain a copy of an undistributed report. Some technical reports are classified, especially those produced by Department of Defense research agencies. Classification is only one possible explanation for why technical reports may not have been published or disseminated, though. Downey (1978) asserted that many technical reports of the past were not published because they were politically unpalatable.[footnote]Downey, J. A. (1978). <em>US federal official publications: the international dimension.<\/em> Pergamon.[\/footnote] This situation continues today, with government reports being suppressed or revised for publication to conform to the administration\u2019s views.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">When patrons find cited references to technical literature in journal articles, Google Books, or bibliographic databases, they may seek the assistance of librarians to locate the documents. Scientific or technical publications may be mentioned in press releases, newspaper articles, legal notices, and even the <em>Congressional Record<\/em>. Of course, a researcher may simply ask a reference question that is related to government scientific information, such as an inquiry about a government research program or a question that could be answered by referring to a technical manual. For instance, a historic preservation specialist researching Quonset huts (a type of temporary building with a curved roof used by the military) might be interested in the Navy technical manual\u00a0<span><em>Builder 3 &amp; 2<\/em>, which describes the history and construction of Quonset huts and similar structures.[footnote]Bureau of Naval Personnel. (1951). <em>Builder 3 &amp; 2<\/em>. NAVPERS 10648-A. Government Printing Office.[\/footnote]<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h1>Catalogs, Indexes, and Databases<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">In contrast to the 19th century, when federal scientific and technical literature was mostly limited to annual reports and congressional documents, in the 20th century a number of dissemination streams opened. Agencies listed their technical reports, bulletins, circulars, etc. in bibliographies and lists of publications and they managed subscriptions and sales of these publications. In some cases, agencies began to produce their own indexing and abstracting publications, such as NASA\u2019s <em>Scientific and Te<\/em><em>chnical Aerospace Reports<\/em> (STAR). Scientific research done by government employees began to be published not only in agency-issued publications but also in commercially published journals. In turn, the commercially-published indexes began to cover some government documents. Eventually, starting in the 1960s, these printed catalogs and indexes were turned into searchable databases.<\/p>\n\n<h2>General Databases<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The most important and useful database for government scientific and technical literature is <a class=\"rId7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/\">WorldCat<\/a>. In the past couple of decades, the number of records for government technical reports in WorldCat has exploded due to retrospective cataloging and digitization projects as well as the addition of metadata records from databases like Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). In WorldCat, you can find records for government documents with a variety of origins, and frequently there are multiple records for the same resource. You can restrict your search to internet resources to find online documents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">It\u2019s important to note that individual records for reports within a series may not exist. State government technical reports are less likely to have analytic records in WorldCat. For example, only some of the issues of <em>Wildlife <\/em><em>E<\/em><em>ducation <\/em><em>B<\/em><em>ulletin,<\/em> published by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, have individual records in WorldCat. Furthermore, WorldCat records frequently do not include a SuDoc or local government document classification number. Finding a classification number might require consulting the <em>Monthly Catalog of Government Publications<\/em> or a list of state publications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a class=\"rId8\" href=\"https:\/\/catalog.gpo.gov\/F?RN=127980874\">CGP<\/a>, as we\u2019ve learned, contains all of the GPO-produced records for federal government documents as well as a large number of pre-1976 brief records. The chief advantages of using the CGP are that a search is restricted to federal documents, the search capabilities are more robust, there are no duplicate records, all of the records include the SuDoc number, and the records may contain notes that don\u2019t display in WorldCat. However, CGP often does not include records for electronic versions of documents, especially older publications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId9\" href=\"http:\/\/www.technicalreports.org\/trail\/search\/\">Technical Report and Image Archive Library<\/a> (TRAIL) is a project run by several research libraries and hosted by the Center for Research Libraries to digitize selected U.S. government technical reports published prior to 1976. It covers technical reports produced by the Army Corps of Engineers, Atomic Energy Commission, Bureau of Mines, Coast Guard, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, National Bureau of Standards, National Earthquake Information Center, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Office of Saline Waters.[footnote]Center for Research Libraries. <em>Technical Report Archive &amp; Image Library<\/em>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.technicalreports.org\/trail\/search\/\">http:\/\/www.technicalreports.org\/trail\/search\/<\/a>[\/footnote] Many of the reports digitized by TRAIL are also available in <a class=\"rId10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hathitrust.org\/\">HathiTrust<\/a>. Note that TRAIL does not include all of the report series produced by these agencies since its focus is on pre-1976 material. In addition, TRAIL must exclude copyrighted material such as translations of foreign technical reports or reports produced by foreign research labs.<\/p>\nThe Office of Technical Services (OTS), predecessor to the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), was established in the Department of Commerce in 1946. Its initial purpose was to distribute technical literature accumulated during World War II, including captured German scientific reports. In 1950, a law directed the Secretary of Commerce to establish a clearinghouse for scientific, technical, and engineering (ST&amp;E) information. OTS managed the clearinghouse until 1964, when the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information was established. In 1970, it was reorganized and renamed NTIS.[footnote]U.S.\u00a0<span>Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight. (2014).\u00a0<\/span><em>A more efficient and effective government: The National Technical Information Service:<\/em><span><em>\u00a0Hearing before the Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, second session, July 23, 2014<\/em>. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/CHRG-113shrg91174\/pdf\/CHRG-113shrg91174.pdf\">https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/CHRG-113shrg91174\/pdf\/CHRG-113shrg91174.pdf<\/a>.[\/footnote] Many research and special libraries once subscribed to microfiche sets sold by NTIS or they selectively purchased microfiche or printed documents from NTIS.\n\nFederal government technical reports were formerly indexed in a printed index called <em>U.S. Government Research Reports<\/em>, but fortunately, there is now the <a class=\"rId11\" href=\"https:\/\/ntrl.ntis.gov\/NTRL\/\">National Technical Reports Library<\/a> (NTRL). It contains over three million records from 1964-present, and most of the documents indexed in it are freely available as PDFs. The subscription-based version, the NTIS Bibliographic Database, includes advanced search capabilities and unlimited downloads. It is available from several commercial providers in addition to NTIS. Many of the technical reports listed in the database are also available in other repositories. Initially, there was no mandate for government agencies to submit reports to NTIS, but the American Technology Preeminence Act (ATPA) of 1991 required agencies to deposit information resulting from federally funded research with NTIS. Prior to the passage of ATPA, it was estimated that NTIS acquired only one-third of the federal government's ST&amp;E output.[footnote]Nickum, L. S. (2008). Elusive no longer? Increasing accessibility to the federally funded technical report literature. <em>The Reference Librarian 45<\/em>, 33-51.[\/footnote]\u00a0Even with ATPA, there is no enforcement mechanism, so many federally funded reports still do not end up in NTRL.\u00a0NTIS also provides access to reports of the RAND Corporation, a private research organization whose primary business is government contract work.\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.gov\/\">Science.gov<\/a> is an important metasearch for scientific and technical publications and other information. It covers over 60 databases from 15 federal agencies. Each has been selected based on inclusion criteria focused on authoritative government scientific information.[footnote]U.S. Office of Scientific and Technical Information. Science.gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.gov\/scigov\/desktop\/en\/search.html\">https:\/\/www.science.gov\/scigov\/desktop\/en\/search.html<\/a> [\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.data.gov\/\">Data.gov<\/a> was discussed in chapter 6 as a source for statistics and data. Many of the datasets available in Data.gov are in the scientific and technical arena. One can use facets to narrow a search in Data.gov by geographic region, agency, and file type. So, if you are just interested in TAR files that can be used in a geographic information system, you can limit your search to data with that file extension. Although Data.gov is a federal website, it includes datasets from local governments, universities, and non-profit organizations.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hathitrust.org\">HathiTrust<\/a> contains a growing number of scientific and technical reports from intergovernmental organizations and federal and state agencies. Be aware that many publications in the HathiTrust database were scanned from bound volumes that contain multiple issues, so there may not be individual bibliographic records for each title within the series. Full text searching may be a better strategy than searching the catalog. In addition, some of the content in HathiTrust was scanned from microfiche, with the result that that some illustrations may be of poor quality.\n<h2>Defense, National Security, and Intelligence<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">All branches of the military operate research laboratories to improve weapons systems, develop strategies, and strengthen communications and information technology. The<a class=\"rId14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrl.navy.mil\/\"> U.S. Naval Research Laboratory<\/a> consolidated the management of several laboratories spread across the country. It conducts research in areas such as ocean science, acoustics, marine construction, and even space technology. Similarly, the <a class=\"rId15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arl.army.mil\/\">DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory<\/a> encompasses several formerly independent research laboratories that conduct investigations of human behavior, weapons, vehicles, electronic sensors, and information technology. Continuing the trend toward consolidation of research facilities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed seven research laboratories under the <a class=\"rId16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.erdc.usace.army.mil\/\">U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center<\/a>\u00a0(ERDC). It conducts research and development in the areas of construction, environmental engineering, geospatial technology, cold regions, and geotechnology. Research at the <a class=\"rId17\" href=\"https:\/\/afresearchlab.com\/\">Air Force Research Laboratory<\/a> encompasses aerospace engineering, space technology, munitions, and information technology. As its name implies, the <a class=\"rId18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mcwl.marines.mil\/\">Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory<\/a> conducts experiments to evaluate technology and tactics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId19\" href=\"https:\/\/discover.dtic.mil\/\">Defense Technical Information Center<\/a> (DTIC) is an exceptionally rich resource for full-text military documents, both current and historical, including many of the non-restricted research reports of the various military research laboratories. DTIC also hosts RAND Corporation reports related to defense contracting. DTIC began in 1945 as the Air Documents Division. Its purpose was to \u201ccollect and catalog World War II scientific and technical documents (including those captured from Germany and Japan).\u201d[footnote]Defense Technical Information Center. (1995). <em>Introducing the Defense Technical Information Center<\/em>. Defense Technical Information Center.[\/footnote] Today, it contains millions of documents (some classified) from a variety of sources, including environmental impact statements, Government Accountability Office reports, unit histories, conference proceedings, and, of course, technical reports, especially from research laboratories of the armed services such as the Waterways Experiment Station of the Corps of Engineers and the Naval Oceanographic Laboratory. DTIC records for technical reports can also be found in WorldCat. Unfortunately, the public search interface for DTIC is very basic, so one cannot do fielded searching or restrict by date. Another component of DTIC is the military periodical indexes <em>Air University Library Index to Military Periodicals<\/em> (AULIMP) and <em>Staff College Automated Periodical Index <\/em>(SCAMPI). There is some overlap between AULIMP and SCAMPI. By using DTIC to search them, one can find articles in a variety of military periodicals going back to the 1940s. In addition, the armed services operate graduate schools and other specialized degree and certificate programs for their members, and the theses and research papers produced in these programs can often be found in DTIC. They frequently cover topics in engineering, military history, strategy, or diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a class=\"rId20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hsdl.org\/c\/\">Homeland Security Digital Library<\/a> (HSDL) is maintained by the Naval Postgraduate School. It contains a public collection of over 125,000 documents related to national security policy. Federal depository libraries have access to the full collection of over 250,000 documents, which includes congressional publications, laws, Nuclear Regulatory Commission documents, and Navy documents. Some of these documents are available elsewhere, but HSDL offers a convenient way to search across agencies.<\/p>\nThe Library of Congress (LC) maintains an extensive collection of U.S. and international technical reports in print and microform in its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/rr\/scitech\/trs\/trscollections.html\">Technical Reports and Standards Unit<\/a> (TRS) and other collections. LC also maintains a list of online databases for technical reports. Copies of technical reports in the public domain (or portions of copyrighted works) can be ordered through LC's <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/duplicationservices\/\">Photoduplication Service<\/a>.\n<h2>Agriculture &amp; Fisheries<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The National Agricultural Library (NAL) produces the\u00a0<a class=\"rId21\" href=\"https:\/\/agricola.nal.usda.gov\/\">Agricola<\/a> database, which includes both government publications and commercially published journals as well as audiovisual materials and websites. It is especially useful for locating material about local crops and livestock published by agricultural research stations and extension services. A researcher interested in historical sisal production in Hawai\u02bbi, for example, would find the publication <em>Sisal and the Utilization of Sisal Waste<\/em>, published by the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station in 1912. Access to Agricola is free through NAL, and it is also available through commercial platforms. The NAL also has a <a class=\"rId22\" href=\"https:\/\/naldc.nal.usda.gov\">digital collections page<\/a> that provides access to a vast library of digitized publications. <a href=\"https:\/\/pubag.nal.usda.gov\/\">PubAg<\/a> is NAL's discovery layer for journal articles and other citations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The U.S. Forest Service maintains several regional research laboratories. Their research products can be found in the <a class=\"rId23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fs.usda.gov\/treesearch\/\">Treesearch<\/a> database. Treesearch includes not only Forest Service research papers but also references to articles in \u00a0scientific journals authored by Forest Service researchers. In addition to forestry, it also covers topics like road engineering, animals, and snowmelt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\">National Marine Fisheries Service<\/a>, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), operates several regional research laboratories, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/about\/pacific-islands-fisheries-science-center\">Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center<\/a>. Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/resources\/blogs\">resource directories<\/a> available through NOAA to locate scientific reports and data about fisheries, marine mammals, and other topics related to ocean life.<\/p>\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_61\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"236\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cover of Fur seals of the Pribilof Islands\" class=\"wp-image-60 size-medium\" width=\"236\" height=\"300\"> Figure 1. Baker, R. C. (1957). <em>Fur seals of the Pribilof Islands<\/em>. Government Printing Office.[\/caption]\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/proquest.libguides.com\/asfa\/content\">Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts<\/a> database provides indexing and abstracting of research materials related to fisheries, aquaculture, marine environments, oceanography, and many other aquatic topics. It is a partnership between a number of national government fisheries-related agencies and intergovernmental organizations. It is published and distributed on the ProQuest platform under a cooperative agreement between ProQuest and the Food &amp; Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fao.org\/publications\/en\">FAO<\/a> has published hundreds of thousands of technical reports about agriculture, forestry, fisheries, nutrition, and other topics, many of which cover very small operations in remote areas. Therefore, it is an important resource for individuals researching small farms, subsistence farming and fishing, and community management of agricultural resources. <em>Small Animals for Small Farms<\/em> exemplifies an FAO publication intended to improve rural life in developing countries.[footnote]Wilson, R. T. (2011). <em>Small animals for small farms.<\/em> FAO Diversification Booklet 14. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/a-i2469e.pdf\">http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/a-i2469e.pdf<\/a>[\/footnote] Some libraries maintain collections of FAO reports on microfiche, most of which are also available on the FAO website.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Energy<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">In the 1940s, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) began to publish large numbers of technical and scientific reports related to nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. These were indexed in <em>Energy Research Abstracts<\/em> and distributed to AEC depository libraries. Libraries that participated in the AEC depository program accumulated tens of thousands of unclassified reports on nuclear energy in print or microform. The TRAIL project, mentioned earlier, is in the process of digitizing AEC reports if they are in the public domain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The AEC was succeeded by the Energy Research and Development Administration and the Department of Energy (DOE). Starting in the 1970s, the DOE issued hundreds of thousands of scientific and technical reports on microfiche. In the 1990s, DOE began to issue them online. Today, <a class=\"rId25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/\">OSTI.gov<\/a> (formerly Sci-Tech Connect) provides access to the contents of two DOE databases: Energy Citations Database, which succeeded the print publication <em>Energy Research Abstracts<\/em>, and DOE Information Bridge, which was an early e-publishing platform. While the majority of the reports in OSTI.gov are in full text, a substantial number, especially those published prior to 1991, have only citations.[footnote]Byrne, T. (2009). <em>Scientific Government Information: Department of Energy Databases and Federated Search Tools.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fdlp.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/falldlc09-byrne-deptenergyosti.pdf\">https:\/\/www.fdlp.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/falldlc09-byrne-deptenergyosti.pdf<\/a>.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Originating during World War II, DOE national laboratories are perhaps best known for their role in the development of nuclear weapons. The DOE operates 17 national research laboratories, most of which are run by government contractors. [footnote]U.S. Department of Energy. <em>National laboratories.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/national-laboratories\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/national-laboratories<\/a>[\/footnote] For example, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is operated by a partnership that consists of \u00a0University of California, Battelle Memorial Institute, and Texas A&amp;M University. While most of the work of LANL is for government agencies, they also have cooperative agreements with a number of corporations. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/dataexplorer\/\">DOE Data Explorer<\/a> provides a variety of data files, including geospatial data, maps, numeric data, models, and images created in DOE laboratories.\u00a0The <a href=\"https:\/\/nelha.hawaii.gov\">Natural Energy Research Laboratory of Hawai\u02bbi<\/a> (NELHA) is an example of a local research laboratory that receives funding from DOE and produces scientific and technical reports. Its emphasis is on ocean thermal energy conversion, solar, and biofuels. NELHA\u2019s research reports can be found in OSTI.gov.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">At the international level, the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) <a class=\"rId26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iaea.org\/resources\/databases\/inis\">International Nuclear Information System<\/a> (INIS) contains over three million references to research reports on the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, and it includes reports on other technologies as well. INIS is compiled from submissions by member countries.[footnote]Defense Technical Information Center. (1998).\u00a0<em>How to get it:\u00a0<\/em><span><em>a guide to defense-related information resources<\/em>. Defense Technical Information Center, p. 303.[\/footnote]<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h2>Transportation, Aeronautics, and Space<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formerly indexed its technical reports in STAR (<em>Scientific and <\/em><em>T<\/em><em>echnical <\/em><em>A<\/em><em>erospace Reports<\/em>). When NASA began to digitize the reports, it established the <a class=\"rId27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sti.nasa.gov\/\">NASA Technical Reports Server<\/a>. It contains tens of thousands of full-text technical reports and citations about a variety of aerospace and science topics that were produced by NASA and its predecessor, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">A few years ago the database was taken offline because NASA discovered that there was sensitive information in some of the reports. The agency had to complete a review of the content before it could make the database public again. A similar situation occurred with the LANL technical reports following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. It seems likely that these situations arose because the agencies digitized reports that were formerly only available to on-site researchers and published them on public websites without first vetting the content.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/ntl.bts.gov\/ntl\">National Transportation Library<\/a>\u00a0(NTL) is a gateway to several transportation-related databases that cover all modes of transportation and topics such as finance, environmental issues, and construction.\u00a0<span><em>TRID<\/em> (Transport Research International Documentation) \u201cis the world's largest and most comprehensive bibliographic resource on transportation research information. It is produced and maintained by the Transportation Research Board [TRB] of the US <\/span>National Academies<span> with sponsorship by state departments of transportation, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and various federal agencies, and other sponsors of TRB's core technical activities.\u201d[footnote]Transportation Research Board. About <em>TRID<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trb.org\/InformationServices\/AboutTRID.aspx\">https:\/\/www.trb.org\/InformationServices\/AboutTRID.aspx<\/a>[\/footnote] TRID consists of\u00a0<\/span>two databases: the Department of Transportation\u2019s\u00a0<em>Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS)<\/em> database and the <em>OECD Joint Transport Research Centre\u2019s International Transport Research Documentation (ITRD) Database<\/em>.\u00a0NTL also provices access to the <em>Research in Progress<\/em> database and the <em>TRB Publications Index<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Environment and Natural Resources<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publishes research on a variety of geology topics such as water resources, volcanoes, earthquakes, mines, and minerals. Its <em><a class=\"rId29\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.er.usgs.gov\/\">Publications Warehouse<\/a><\/em> is the online repository and index for its research products. It includes official publications such as USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and conference proceedings. Like <em>Treesearch<\/em>, it not only lists government publications, but also includes USGS scientists\u2019 research published in other arenas. The GeoRef database, published by the American Geosciences Institute, contains references to all USGS publications as well as theses and dissertations on geology topics from U.S. and Canadian universities.[footnote]American Geosciences Institute. <em>GeoRef Information Services.<\/em> https:\/\/www.americangeosciences.org\/georef\/georef-information-services[\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s <a class=\"rId30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/nscep\">National Service Center for Environmental Publications<\/a> contains digitized copies of EPA publications and citations for publications for which the full text is not available. It came into existence when EPA decided to digitize its publications and reduce the number of libraries it operated. Following a public outcry, the EPA only closed a few libraries.[footnote]U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2010). <em>EPA needs to complete a strategy for its library network to meet users' needs.<\/em> https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/products\/GAO-10-947[\/footnote]<\/p>\nThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) maintains a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/species\">database of species<\/a> under USFWS governance that contains detailed information about endangered plants and animals, including maps and regulatory information. Similarly, the National Marine Fisheries Service has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/find-species\">Find a Species<\/a> feature. It includes photographs and links to fact sheets about endangered and threatened species.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_61\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"231\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-231x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-61\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\"> <br>Figure 2. O\u2019Connor, J. E., &amp; Costa, J. E. (2004). <em>The world\u2019s largest floods, past and present: their causes and magnitudes<\/em>. U.S. Geological Survey.[\/caption]\n<h2>Life Sciences and Medicine<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/\">PubMed<\/a>, familiar to most librarians, is an extremely important database for government-produced biomedical literature. For example, it provides access to <em>Public Health Reports<\/em> and <em>Emerging Infectious Diseases<\/em>, two of the many scientific journals issued by agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services. The Smithsonian Institution has produced a number of technical report series related to life and earth sciences, including <em>Smithsonian contributions to<\/em>\u2026 various subjects such as botany and zoology. These and other scientific and technical publications such as <em>Atoll Research Bulletin<\/em>\u00a0are now available online in the Smithsonian\u2019s <a class=\"rId32\" href=\"https:\/\/repository.si.edu\/\">DSpace repository<\/a>.\u00a0Other agencies that produce technical reports covering the life sciences include the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Department of Defense, and NASA.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The World Health Organization produces technical reports related to public health and sanitation. If we search its institutional repository, <a class=\"rId33\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.who.int\/iris\/\">IRIS<\/a>, for <em>d<\/em><em>engue fever<\/em>, we find that some of the search results are conference papers, a common type of publication issued by intergovernmental organizations. Many of WHO\u2019s scientific and technical publications contain reports of research done worldwide as part of a working group or committee that is concerned with a particular disease or condition.<\/p>\n\n<h1>Standards and Specifications<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Another category of technical information is standards and specifications. The terms standard and specification are often used interchangeably.\u00a0\u201cA specification\u2026may be thought of as a purchase document that contains the description of the technical features of a product, material, process, or service that are required to meet the specific needs of a purchaser or an industry.\u201d Standards are specifications that are recognized by an authority.[footnote]Subramanyam, K. (1968). Technical literature. In <em>Encyclopedia of library and information science.<\/em>\u00a0New York: M. Dekker,\u00a0178.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\nHoughton identified seven types of specifications:\n<ol>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dimensional standards specify the dimensions required for interoperability.<\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Material standards specify the chemical compositions and other characteristics of raw materials.<\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standards of performance or quality ensure that a product performs as intended.<\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standards of testing facilitate the comparison of materials or products.<\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standardized terminology allows researchers within a field to communicate with precision.<\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Codes of practice specify the installation and maintenance of equipment or a method of performing a task.<\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Documentation standards govern the creation of information products and services such as reproduction technologies, bibliographical control, and data processing.[footnote]Houghton, B. (1972). <em>Technical information sources<\/em> (2nd ed.). Linnet Books &amp; Clive Bingley.[\/footnote]<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nFederal specifications are administered by the General Services Administration (GSA). It publishes\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gsa.gov\/buying-selling\/purchasing-programs\/requisition-programs\/gsa-global-supply\/supply-standards\/index-of-federal-specifications-standards-and-commercial-item-descriptions\">Index of Federal Specifications, Standards, and Commercial Item Descriptions<\/a><\/em>. In it, you will find specifications and standards for everything from kitchen ladles to mildew resistance.\n<div class=\"learning-objectives\">\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\">National Institute of Standards and Technology<\/a> (NIST), formerly called National Bureau of Standards, is part of the Department of Commerce. It issues standards and specifications for a variety of \u00a0systems. On of the most important standards is time, so NIST is the official clock of the United States, so to speak.\u00a0Weights and measures are another set of systems that NIST coordinates. Although the U.S. has never officially adopted the metric system, most foreign countries and scientific applications use it, so NIST tries to get industries to use it so that the nation can remain competitive. NIST operates the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/standardsgov\/standards-information-center\">Standards Information Center<\/a>\u00a0<span>\u00a0to \u201chelp users navigate a complex U.S. and international standards landscape.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Standard reference data (SRD) are measureable and quantifiable data used to specify requirements for technical systems. Although the U.S. government generally does not claim copyright on its publications, SRD is copyrighted.[footnote]National Institute of Standards and Technology. <em>Standard reference data public law<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/srd\/public-law\">https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/srd\/public-law<\/a>[\/footnote] Therefore, SRD is not available for free; researchers must purchase the data from NIST. This situation demonstrates how the legal requirement that the Department of Commerce operate on a cost-recovery basis affects free access to government information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Another category of specification is military specifications. These are often sought by manufacturers who want to sell to the government. <a class=\"rId35\" href=\"https:\/\/quicksearch.dla.mil\/\">ASSIST<\/a> is the website used to disseminate defense and federal specifications and standards, military handbooks, and related technical documents. In the specifications for Army boots, for instance, there are requirements for the range of sizes, materials, and other requirements for contractors. The specifications make reference to drawings that may be consulted, but the drawings themselves are not included in the specification and must be requested from the Army. The specifications also make reference to <a class=\"rId36\" href=\"https:\/\/www.astm.org\/Standard\/standards-and-publications.html\">ASTM standards<\/a>, which are not government publications, for some of the components.<\/p>\n&nbsp;\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<h2>Case Study: Specifications<\/h2>\n<em>Question: \u201cI am in the process of manufacturing new parts for vintage aircraft. The parts originally fell under procurement specification AN-T-20 which was superseded by MIL-T-5684A. This spec was then superseded by MIL-T-5684B. The information I am looking for was subsequently dropped in this revision. I am wondering if it would be possible to obtain a copy of MIL-T-5684 revision A.\u201d The patron had already tried ASSIST and other websites offering copies of military specifications.<\/em>\n\nThe first step was to verify the citation for the desired specification. I consulted the 1952 edition of <em>Index of Military Specifications and Standards<\/em>. It confirmed the citation and gave the title, \u201cTie rods, streamline, round and square, aircraft\u201d and date of issue, 15 Oct 1951.[footnote]U.S. Munitions Board. (1952). <em>Index of military specifications and standards<\/em>. U.S. Government Printing Office.[\/footnote]\n\nNext, I searched in WorldCat for the specification. Unfortunately, there was no record, nor could the document be found in DTIC. I then consulted <em>How to Get It: A Guide to Defense-related Information Resources<\/em>, which states, \u201cRequests for superseded or cancelled specifications should be directed to the procurement or contracting officer of the military command having an interest in the document.\u201d[footnote]Defense Technical Information Center. (1998). <em>How to get it: a guide to defense-related information resources<\/em>. Defense Technical Information Center.[\/footnote]\n\nAccording to the Federal Acquisition Regulation on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acquisition.gov\/far\/52.211-2\">Acquisition.gov<\/a>, specifications not listed in ASSIST can be ordered in the following ways:\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Phoning the DoDSSP Customer Service Desk (215) 697-2179, Mon-Fri, 0730 to 1600 EST; or<\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ordering from DoDSSP, Building 4, Section D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Telephone (215) 697-2667\/2179, Facsimile (215) 697-1462.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThe patron attempted to order it from DoDSSP but did not get a response. In the meantime, I learned that the Library of Congress (LC) has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/rr\/scitech\/trs\/trsover.html\">Technical Reports and Standards Unit<\/a> that maintains microfilmed copies of specifications and standards. I contacted LC to find out whether a copy of the desired specification was available. A reference librarian consulted the index and confirmed that it was. He sent the entry from the index:\n\nMIL-T-5684A: \u201cTerminals, Tie Rod, Threaded Clevis type Aircraft\u201d\n\nRev. A - 16 May 1950 \u2013 9 pages (Reel No. E714-1573)\n\nBase \u2013 27 Feb 1950 \u2013 12 pages (Reel No. 9691-3002)\n\nMIL-T-5684B:\u00a0 \u201cTie Rods, Round and Square, Aircraft\u201d\n\nRev A \u2013 16 May 1950 \u2013 9 pages (Reel No. 9406-2572)\n\nRev. A. Amend. 1 \u2013 11 Dec. 1950 \u2013 2 pages (Reel No. 9063-1637)\n\nWith this information, we were successfully able to place an order for the specification with LC\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/duplicationservices\/\">Photoduplication Service<\/a>. LC is often a collection of last resort for government documents, whether they be federal, state, local, or non-U.S., because of its comprehensive collection development policies and participation in exchange programs. LC\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/acq\/devpol\/law.html\">collections policy statements<\/a> for government documents are posted on its website.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<\/div>\n&nbsp;\n\n<\/div>\nBeyond federal standards and specifications, many international standards have also been developed. The Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), or International Bureau of Weights and Measures, was established through the Meter Convention in 1875. Its purpose is to \u201c<span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">ensure worldwide unification of measurements.\u201d BIPM<\/span>\u00a0publishes the International System of Units (SI), aka the Metric System, which is the \u201cpreferred language of science and technology.\u201d[footnote]Newell, D. B. &amp; Tiesinga, E., eds. (2019).\u00a0<em><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">The International System of Units (SI). <\/span><\/em><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">NIST Special Publication 330. National Institute of Standards and Technology.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nvlpubs.nist.gov\/nistpubs\/SpecialPublications\/NIST.SP.330-2019.pdf\">https:\/\/nvlpubs.nist.gov\/nistpubs\/SpecialPublications\/NIST.SP.330-2019.pdf<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/span>\u00a0ISO standards are promulgated by the\u00a0<span>International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a <\/span>nongovernmental organization whose membership consists of the national standards bodies of 167 nations and territories. ISO came into existence in 1946. Other international standards include European Standards and International Telecommunication Union standards. There are also a number of national standards organizations in foreign countries.\n\nThe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/rr\/scitech\/trs\/trsstandards.html\">Library of Congress<\/a> maintains collections of federal, military, and international standards and specifications. Standards that have been incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations are available through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) <a href=\"https:\/\/ibr.ansi.org\/Standards\/Default.aspx\">Incorporated by Reference (IBR) Portal<\/a>. Access is free, but the standards are only available for viewing and cannot be downloaded or printed.\n<div class=\"learning-objectives\">\n<h1>Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, Management Plans<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Environmental impact statements (EISs), environmental assessments (EAs), management plans, remediation plans, and other types of environmental planning documents contain a wealth of useful information about places.\u00a0Federal EISs are required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 6\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<blockquote><span>NEPA\u2019s procedural requirements apply to a Federal agency\u2019s decisions on proposed actions, <\/span><span>including <\/span><span>providing permits for private actions<\/span><span>; financing, assisting, conducting, or approving projects or programs; issuing agency rules, regulations, plans, policies, or procedures; making Federal land management decisions; and an <\/span><span>agency\u2019s legislative proposals.[footnote]Council on Environmental Quality. (2021). <em>A citizen's guide to NEPA,<\/em> 5.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/citizens-guide-to-nepa-2021.pdf\">https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/citizens-guide-to-nepa-2021.pdf<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/span><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">When an agency contemplates a proposed action, it must first determine whether the action falls within the agency's established categorical exclusions for actions that it has determined do not have significant environmental impacts. If the proposed action has unknown environmental effects, the agency must prepare an EA. At that point, the agency either issues a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or prepares a draft EIS. The public is permitted to comment on the draft. Then, the agency may prepare a final EIS. Often, EAs and EISs are written by contractors on behalf of federal agencies. When first issued in draft form, copies are usually deposited with the nearest public library during the public comment period. Upon issuance of a draft or final EIS, a notice is published in the <em>Federal Register.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_62\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"229\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cover of Brothers grazing management program\" class=\"wp-image-62 size-medium\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\"> Figure 3. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Prineville Unit. (1982). <em>Brothers grazing management program: environmental impact statement.<\/em>\u00a0Government Printing Office.[\/caption]\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Most federal EISs can be found in the EPA\u2019s <a class=\"rId38\" href=\"https:\/\/cdxapps.epa.gov\/cdx-enepa-II\/public\/action\/eis\/search\">EIS database<\/a>\u00a0or in <a href=\"http:\/\/libguides.northwestern.edu\/environmentalimpactassessment\">Northwestern University Transportation Library's EIS collection<\/a>. Let\u2019s examine the final EIS issued in 2016 concerning Hawaiian spinner dolphins, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/2021-07\/enhancing-protections-for-hawaiian-spinner-dolphins-feis-508.pdf?VersionId=null\">Enhancing Protections for Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins to Prevent Disturbance<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0A growing \u201cswim with the dolphins\u201d industry in Hawai\u02bbi gave rise to concerns that such activities were harmful to the dolphins. The EIS lists the statutory authority under which interaction with dolphins may be regulated (Marine Mammal Protection Act) and includes scientific information about spinner dolphins\u2019 biology, behavior, and habitat. In addition, it includes maps and aerial photographs of dolphin habitats and describes the cultural significance of the creatures to Native Hawaiians. The EIS lists a number of possible actions that could be taken to reduce impact on the dolphins. It also includes a list of references that would likely be useful for someone who is researching the habitat or behavior of these creatures. The public comments received on the draft EIS are also included. A discussion of the issues, written for the layperson, is also posted on the NMFS website.[footnote]National Marine Fisheries Service. (2018). <em>Six reasons why you should not swim with wild spinner dolphins.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/six-reasons-why-you-should-not-swim-wild-spinner-dolphins\">https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/six-reasons-why-you-should-not-swim-wild-spinner-dolphins<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Other types of planning and management documents may not be distributed and archived in the same way that EISs are. In that case, they may be \u201cunreported documents,\u201d as described above.<\/p>\n\n<h1><a id=\"Websites and Activities for Children\" href=\"\"><\/a>Websites and Activities for Children<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Most federal agencies maintain websites for children. They usually feature videos, activities, games, and lesson plans for teachers. Many of these resources relate to STEM (science, technology, engingeering, and mathematics) education. The <a class=\"rId39\" href=\"https:\/\/godort.libguides.com\/gic\">Government Information for Children Committee<\/a> of the Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association maintains a guide to federal and state agency sites for children. Intergovernmental organizations also produce information for children.<\/p>\n&nbsp;\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Examples<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n \t<li>NIST\u2019s <a class=\"rId41\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/pml\/weights-and-measures\/writing-metric-units\">Writing with Metric Units<\/a><\/li>\n \t<li>Alaska Fish and Game's <a class=\"rId45\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adfg.alaska.gov\/static\/species\/livingwithwildlife\/bears\/pdfs\/be_bear_aware_coloring_book_2016.pdf\"><em>Be Bear Aware Coloring Book<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n \t<li>NPS's\u00a0<span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/teachers\/classrooms\/upload\/Election-that-led-to-war-lesson-plan.pdf\">1860: The Election that Led to War<\/a> lesson plan<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1><a id=\"Government Grants and Research Funding\" href=\"\"><\/a>Government Grants and Research Funding<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">This chapter will conclude with a discussion of the federal government\u2019s grantmaking activity and recent policies that promote access to government-funded research. Beginning in the 1930s, grantmaking was part of the establishing legislation for agencies. As a result of this grantmaking authority, agencies required periodic reports on the progress of grant-funded research. However, there were no requirement about where the research had to be published or deposited. Research results were disseminated through conferences, publications, agency-published reporting journals (e.g., <em>Cancer Chemotherapy Reports<\/em>) or agency-published indexes to research (e.g., the Public Health Service\u2019s <em>Research Grants Index<\/em>). Although agencies issued publications that announced the awarding of grants and indexed the research, they did not necessarily provide access to the research reports themselves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The National Institutes of Health (NIH) developed a policy, later codified into law, that required NIH-funded researchers to deposit their research in PubMed Central within 12 months of publication and to include a data management plan with their research proposals. You might be surprised to learn how controversial this stance is. The Research Works Act was even introduced in Congress to overturn NIH\u2019s policy, but it was eventually abandoned.[footnote]Jaser, C. (2012). Public access to government-funded research: A right or a privilege? <em>DttP: Documents to the People 40<\/em>(4), 31-35.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Laws to require agencies other than NIH to have similar policies have not fared well in Congress. Three laws, the <em>Federal Research Public Access Act of 2006, Federal Research Public Access Act of 2009 (FRPAA)<\/em>, and<em> Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR) <\/em>of 2017 have all failed to make it through Congress. FASTR, the most recent, would have required each federal agency with extramural research expenditures of over $100 million to develop a federal research public access policy, to develop public access policies applicable to agency researchers and agency-funded researchers, and to require each federal agency to submit an annual report on its federal research public access policy to Congress. It also included a 12-month embargo period, during which public access would not be required.[footnote]U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (2016). <em>Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015: report of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, to accompany S. 779, to provide for federal agencies to develop public access policies relating to research conducted by employees of that agency or from funds administered by that agency<\/em>. Government Publishing Office.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Because of the lack of progress in Congress, and in response to a public petition, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a memorandum directing agencies with over $100 million in R&amp;D expenditures to develop public access policies. The policy required agencies to<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<blockquote><span>1) ensure that the full text of scholarly journal articles reporting on Federally funded research is freely available to the public not more than 12 months after publication; and 2) develop data management plans for new research projects that describe how data generated as part of the research will be made maximally available to other researchers and the public in a timely manner while protecting privacy, security, and other proprietary concerns.[footnote]Lander, E. S. (2021). Letter to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Senate and House Appropriations Committees. 5 November 2021.[\/footnote]<\/span><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">A 2022 update to the policy required that agencies make articles available immediately and eliminated embargo periods.[footnote]White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (2022, August 25). <em>OSTP issues guidance to make federally funded research freely available without delay<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2022\/08\/25\/ostp-issues-guidance-to-make-federally-funded-research-freely-available-without-delay\/\">https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2022\/08\/25\/ostp-issues-guidance-to-make-federally-funded-research-freely-available-without-delay\/<\/a>[\/footnote] The agencies to which the policy applies, and some others, have developed public access plans and are still in the process of implementing the directive by establishing internal policies and procedures and developing online platforms for search and retrieval.<\/p>\n\n<h1><a id=\"Librarian's Library\" href=\"\"><\/a>Insider's Library<\/h1>\n<strong>Council on Environmental Quality. (2007). <em>A<\/em> c<em>itizen's guide to the NEPA: Having your voice heard<\/em>. Washington, D.C.:\u00a0Council on Environmental Quality.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/Citizens_Guide_Dec07.pdf\">https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/Citizens_Guide_Dec07.pdf<\/a><\/strong>\n\nThis guide very thoroughly describes the federal process for compliance with NEPA and explains EIS terminology such as Notice of Intent (NOI) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><strong>O\u2019Hara, F. J. (1979). <em>A guide to publications of the executive branch<\/em>. Pierian Press.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Arranged by agency, this detailed bibliographic guide lists many of the most important scientific and technical publications of the federal government, many of which are still being issued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><strong>Sears, J. L. and Moody, M. K. (2001). <em>Using government information sources: Electronic and print<\/em> (3rd ed.). Oryx.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Sears and Moody\u2019s classic work provides the best fairly recent overview of the federal government\u2019s scientific and technical output.<\/p>\n<strong>Subramanyam, K. (1968). Technical literature. In <em>Encyclopedia of library and information science.<\/em>\u00a0<span>M. Dekker,<\/span>\u00a0p. 144-209.<\/strong>\n\nAlthough dated, this chapter provides detailed information about the characteristics of technical reports and the growth of government technical literature following World War II.\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><strong>United States. Atomic Energy Commission. Technical Information Service. (1960). <em>What\u2019s available in the atomic energy literature?<\/em> <a class=\"rId47\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/servlets\/purl\/4158407-tY7Yub\/\">https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/servlets\/purl\/4158407-tY7Yub\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">This volume explains the variety of material in AEC reports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><\/p>","rendered":"<div class=\"learning-objectives\">\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3 itemprop=\"educationalUse\">Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Become familiar with the types of information and subject matter covered in government technical reports<\/li>\n<li>Identify resources and databases to locate government technical and scientific information<\/li>\n<li>Understand bibliographic control of government scientific and technical literature and data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"import-Normal\">Introduction<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Governments conduct research and provide funding to research institutions to further the government\u2019s aims.\u00a0The earliest examples of government scientific and technical literature in the United States were surveys of the waters and natural resources of the United States and its territories. The <em>Report of the Expedition of the Squadron of Dragoons to the Rocky Mountains During the Summer of 1835<\/em> is typical of the many explorations funded by Congress, to which exploring expeditions submitted their official reports.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. House of Representatives. (1836). Report of the expedition of the squadron of dragoons to the Rocky Mountains during the summer of 1835.\u00a024th Congress, 1st session, H.doc. 18.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-1\" href=\"#footnote-63-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a> Annual reports of executive branch agencies also included reports of research, such as the report <em>Omaha Dwellings, Furniture, and Implements<\/em> published in the Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology for 1891-1892.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Dorsey, J. O. (1896). Omaha dwellings, furniture, and implements. In Thirteenth annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1891-92. Government Printing Office.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-2\" href=\"#footnote-63-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">As time went by, Congress required that reports be made on the results of scientific investigations funded by the government. For example, the fifth report of the U.S. Entomological Commission contained several articles about injurious insects, which were such a scourge in the nineteenth century that Congress was motivated to fund research about them.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Packard, A. S. (1890). Fifth report of the United States Entomological Commission. Government Printing Office.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-3\" href=\"#footnote-63-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Most frequently, scientific or technical information is issued in the form of reports of research conducted by agency employees or contractors. The Department of Defense&#8217;s <em>Glossary of Information Handling<\/em> defined a technical report as:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span>A report concerning the results of a scientific investigation or a technical development, test or evaluation, presented in a form suitable for dissemination to the technological community. The technical report is usually more detailed than an article or paper appearing in a journal or presented at a meeting. It will normally contain sufficient data to enable the qualified reader to evaluate the investigative process or the original research or development.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. Department of Defense. (1964). Glossary of information handling. U.S. Government Printing Office.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-4\" href=\"#footnote-63-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">These reports may be issued in series such as bulletins, circulars, technical memoranda, technical reports, professional papers, and so forth.\u00a0We refer to these series, which are usually issued on an irregular basis, as <em>monographic series<\/em>, because each issue in the series is a <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_63_149\">monograph<\/a> with a distinctive title.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Conference proceedings are another form of government scientific or technical literature. For example, the 2009 International Miconia Conference was sponsored by several government agencies including the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Maui Invasive Species Committee. The proceedings are posted on the conference website but were not issued in book form.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Loope, L. L., Meyer, J. Y., Hardesty, B. D. &amp; Smith, C. W. (eds.). (2009). Proceedings of the International Miconia Conference, Keanae, Maui, Hawaii, May 4-7, 2009. Maui Invasive Species Committee and Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai\u2018i at M\u0101noa.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-5\" href=\"#footnote-63-5\" aria-label=\"Footnote 5\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/a> Because the proceedings were not issued as a publication, they are also an example of <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_63_144\">grey literature<\/a>. Open-file reports published by the U.S. Geological Survey are another example of grey literature. These reports cover topics such as stream flows, mineral resources, and mapping.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. Geological Survey. Open-file reports. https:\/\/pubs.er.usgs.gov\/browse\/Report\/USGS Numbered Series\/Open-File Report\/\" id=\"return-footnote-63-6\" href=\"#footnote-63-6\" aria-label=\"Footnote 6\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[6]<\/sup><\/a> State and local governments, universities, and intergovernmental organizations also produce scientific and technical reports.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Examples<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li><em>The Zebra Mussel: Impacts and Control<\/em> (Cornell University)<\/li>\n<li><em>Bibliography of Dengue Fever and Dengue-like Illnesses, 1780-1981<\/em> (South Pacific Commission)<\/li>\n<li><em>A Contribution to the Tornado Intercept Project 1977:\u00a0Final Report<\/em> (University of Oklahoma Department of Meteorology)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Many technical reports are \u201cunreported\u201d publications\u2014in other words, they are not captured in the usual databases, catalogs, bibliographies, or lists of publications, and they are not included in a depository distribution system. In some cases, unreported publications may only exist in a regional office of a government agency, or they may have been distributed to a limited audience at a conference. This is because technical reports are submitted to the funding agency to document progress on a research project. Therefore, the intended audience is the supervising agency, not the research community at large. Thus, a researcher might have to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain a copy of an undistributed report. Some technical reports are classified, especially those produced by Department of Defense research agencies. Classification is only one possible explanation for why technical reports may not have been published or disseminated, though. Downey (1978) asserted that many technical reports of the past were not published because they were politically unpalatable.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Downey, J. A. (1978). US federal official publications: the international dimension. Pergamon.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-7\" href=\"#footnote-63-7\" aria-label=\"Footnote 7\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[7]<\/sup><\/a> This situation continues today, with government reports being suppressed or revised for publication to conform to the administration\u2019s views.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">When patrons find cited references to technical literature in journal articles, Google Books, or bibliographic databases, they may seek the assistance of librarians to locate the documents. Scientific or technical publications may be mentioned in press releases, newspaper articles, legal notices, and even the <em>Congressional Record<\/em>. Of course, a researcher may simply ask a reference question that is related to government scientific information, such as an inquiry about a government research program or a question that could be answered by referring to a technical manual. For instance, a historic preservation specialist researching Quonset huts (a type of temporary building with a curved roof used by the military) might be interested in the Navy technical manual\u00a0<span><em>Builder 3 &amp; 2<\/em>, which describes the history and construction of Quonset huts and similar structures.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Bureau of Naval Personnel. (1951). Builder 3 &amp; 2. NAVPERS 10648-A. Government Printing Office.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-8\" href=\"#footnote-63-8\" aria-label=\"Footnote 8\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h1>Catalogs, Indexes, and Databases<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">In contrast to the 19th century, when federal scientific and technical literature was mostly limited to annual reports and congressional documents, in the 20th century a number of dissemination streams opened. Agencies listed their technical reports, bulletins, circulars, etc. in bibliographies and lists of publications and they managed subscriptions and sales of these publications. In some cases, agencies began to produce their own indexing and abstracting publications, such as NASA\u2019s <em>Scientific and Te<\/em><em>chnical Aerospace Reports<\/em> (STAR). Scientific research done by government employees began to be published not only in agency-issued publications but also in commercially published journals. In turn, the commercially-published indexes began to cover some government documents. Eventually, starting in the 1960s, these printed catalogs and indexes were turned into searchable databases.<\/p>\n<h2>General Databases<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The most important and useful database for government scientific and technical literature is <a class=\"rId7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldcat.org\/\">WorldCat<\/a>. In the past couple of decades, the number of records for government technical reports in WorldCat has exploded due to retrospective cataloging and digitization projects as well as the addition of metadata records from databases like Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). In WorldCat, you can find records for government documents with a variety of origins, and frequently there are multiple records for the same resource. You can restrict your search to internet resources to find online documents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">It\u2019s important to note that individual records for reports within a series may not exist. State government technical reports are less likely to have analytic records in WorldCat. For example, only some of the issues of <em>Wildlife <\/em><em>E<\/em><em>ducation <\/em><em>B<\/em><em>ulletin,<\/em> published by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, have individual records in WorldCat. Furthermore, WorldCat records frequently do not include a SuDoc or local government document classification number. Finding a classification number might require consulting the <em>Monthly Catalog of Government Publications<\/em> or a list of state publications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a class=\"rId8\" href=\"https:\/\/catalog.gpo.gov\/F?RN=127980874\">CGP<\/a>, as we\u2019ve learned, contains all of the GPO-produced records for federal government documents as well as a large number of pre-1976 brief records. The chief advantages of using the CGP are that a search is restricted to federal documents, the search capabilities are more robust, there are no duplicate records, all of the records include the SuDoc number, and the records may contain notes that don\u2019t display in WorldCat. However, CGP often does not include records for electronic versions of documents, especially older publications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId9\" href=\"http:\/\/www.technicalreports.org\/trail\/search\/\">Technical Report and Image Archive Library<\/a> (TRAIL) is a project run by several research libraries and hosted by the Center for Research Libraries to digitize selected U.S. government technical reports published prior to 1976. It covers technical reports produced by the Army Corps of Engineers, Atomic Energy Commission, Bureau of Mines, Coast Guard, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, National Bureau of Standards, National Earthquake Information Center, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and Office of Saline Waters.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Center for Research Libraries. Technical Report Archive &amp; Image Library. http:\/\/www.technicalreports.org\/trail\/search\/\" id=\"return-footnote-63-9\" href=\"#footnote-63-9\" aria-label=\"Footnote 9\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[9]<\/sup><\/a> Many of the reports digitized by TRAIL are also available in <a class=\"rId10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hathitrust.org\/\">HathiTrust<\/a>. Note that TRAIL does not include all of the report series produced by these agencies since its focus is on pre-1976 material. In addition, TRAIL must exclude copyrighted material such as translations of foreign technical reports or reports produced by foreign research labs.<\/p>\n<p>The Office of Technical Services (OTS), predecessor to the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), was established in the Department of Commerce in 1946. Its initial purpose was to distribute technical literature accumulated during World War II, including captured German scientific reports. In 1950, a law directed the Secretary of Commerce to establish a clearinghouse for scientific, technical, and engineering (ST&amp;E) information. OTS managed the clearinghouse until 1964, when the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information was established. In 1970, it was reorganized and renamed NTIS.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S.\u00a0Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight. (2014).\u00a0A more efficient and effective government: The National Technical Information Service:\u00a0Hearing before the Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, second session, July 23, 2014. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.\u00a0https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/CHRG-113shrg91174\/pdf\/CHRG-113shrg91174.pdf.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-10\" href=\"#footnote-63-10\" aria-label=\"Footnote 10\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[10]<\/sup><\/a> Many research and special libraries once subscribed to microfiche sets sold by NTIS or they selectively purchased microfiche or printed documents from NTIS.<\/p>\n<p>Federal government technical reports were formerly indexed in a printed index called <em>U.S. Government Research Reports<\/em>, but fortunately, there is now the <a class=\"rId11\" href=\"https:\/\/ntrl.ntis.gov\/NTRL\/\">National Technical Reports Library<\/a> (NTRL). It contains over three million records from 1964-present, and most of the documents indexed in it are freely available as PDFs. The subscription-based version, the NTIS Bibliographic Database, includes advanced search capabilities and unlimited downloads. It is available from several commercial providers in addition to NTIS. Many of the technical reports listed in the database are also available in other repositories. Initially, there was no mandate for government agencies to submit reports to NTIS, but the American Technology Preeminence Act (ATPA) of 1991 required agencies to deposit information resulting from federally funded research with NTIS. Prior to the passage of ATPA, it was estimated that NTIS acquired only one-third of the federal government&#8217;s ST&amp;E output.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Nickum, L. S. (2008). Elusive no longer? Increasing accessibility to the federally funded technical report literature. The Reference Librarian 45, 33-51.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-11\" href=\"#footnote-63-11\" aria-label=\"Footnote 11\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[11]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Even with ATPA, there is no enforcement mechanism, so many federally funded reports still do not end up in NTRL.\u00a0NTIS also provides access to reports of the RAND Corporation, a private research organization whose primary business is government contract work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.gov\/\">Science.gov<\/a> is an important metasearch for scientific and technical publications and other information. It covers over 60 databases from 15 federal agencies. Each has been selected based on inclusion criteria focused on authoritative government scientific information.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. Office of Scientific and Technical Information. Science.gov. https:\/\/www.science.gov\/scigov\/desktop\/en\/search.html\" id=\"return-footnote-63-12\" href=\"#footnote-63-12\" aria-label=\"Footnote 12\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[12]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.data.gov\/\">Data.gov<\/a> was discussed in chapter 6 as a source for statistics and data. Many of the datasets available in Data.gov are in the scientific and technical arena. One can use facets to narrow a search in Data.gov by geographic region, agency, and file type. So, if you are just interested in TAR files that can be used in a geographic information system, you can limit your search to data with that file extension. Although Data.gov is a federal website, it includes datasets from local governments, universities, and non-profit organizations.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hathitrust.org\">HathiTrust<\/a> contains a growing number of scientific and technical reports from intergovernmental organizations and federal and state agencies. Be aware that many publications in the HathiTrust database were scanned from bound volumes that contain multiple issues, so there may not be individual bibliographic records for each title within the series. Full text searching may be a better strategy than searching the catalog. In addition, some of the content in HathiTrust was scanned from microfiche, with the result that that some illustrations may be of poor quality.<\/p>\n<h2>Defense, National Security, and Intelligence<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">All branches of the military operate research laboratories to improve weapons systems, develop strategies, and strengthen communications and information technology. The<a class=\"rId14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrl.navy.mil\/\"> U.S. Naval Research Laboratory<\/a> consolidated the management of several laboratories spread across the country. It conducts research in areas such as ocean science, acoustics, marine construction, and even space technology. Similarly, the <a class=\"rId15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arl.army.mil\/\">DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory<\/a> encompasses several formerly independent research laboratories that conduct investigations of human behavior, weapons, vehicles, electronic sensors, and information technology. Continuing the trend toward consolidation of research facilities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed seven research laboratories under the <a class=\"rId16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.erdc.usace.army.mil\/\">U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center<\/a>\u00a0(ERDC). It conducts research and development in the areas of construction, environmental engineering, geospatial technology, cold regions, and geotechnology. Research at the <a class=\"rId17\" href=\"https:\/\/afresearchlab.com\/\">Air Force Research Laboratory<\/a> encompasses aerospace engineering, space technology, munitions, and information technology. As its name implies, the <a class=\"rId18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mcwl.marines.mil\/\">Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory<\/a> conducts experiments to evaluate technology and tactics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId19\" href=\"https:\/\/discover.dtic.mil\/\">Defense Technical Information Center<\/a> (DTIC) is an exceptionally rich resource for full-text military documents, both current and historical, including many of the non-restricted research reports of the various military research laboratories. DTIC also hosts RAND Corporation reports related to defense contracting. DTIC began in 1945 as the Air Documents Division. Its purpose was to \u201ccollect and catalog World War II scientific and technical documents (including those captured from Germany and Japan).\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Defense Technical Information Center. (1995). Introducing the Defense Technical Information Center. Defense Technical Information Center.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-13\" href=\"#footnote-63-13\" aria-label=\"Footnote 13\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[13]<\/sup><\/a> Today, it contains millions of documents (some classified) from a variety of sources, including environmental impact statements, Government Accountability Office reports, unit histories, conference proceedings, and, of course, technical reports, especially from research laboratories of the armed services such as the Waterways Experiment Station of the Corps of Engineers and the Naval Oceanographic Laboratory. DTIC records for technical reports can also be found in WorldCat. Unfortunately, the public search interface for DTIC is very basic, so one cannot do fielded searching or restrict by date. Another component of DTIC is the military periodical indexes <em>Air University Library Index to Military Periodicals<\/em> (AULIMP) and <em>Staff College Automated Periodical Index <\/em>(SCAMPI). There is some overlap between AULIMP and SCAMPI. By using DTIC to search them, one can find articles in a variety of military periodicals going back to the 1940s. In addition, the armed services operate graduate schools and other specialized degree and certificate programs for their members, and the theses and research papers produced in these programs can often be found in DTIC. They frequently cover topics in engineering, military history, strategy, or diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a class=\"rId20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hsdl.org\/c\/\">Homeland Security Digital Library<\/a> (HSDL) is maintained by the Naval Postgraduate School. It contains a public collection of over 125,000 documents related to national security policy. Federal depository libraries have access to the full collection of over 250,000 documents, which includes congressional publications, laws, Nuclear Regulatory Commission documents, and Navy documents. Some of these documents are available elsewhere, but HSDL offers a convenient way to search across agencies.<\/p>\n<p>The Library of Congress (LC) maintains an extensive collection of U.S. and international technical reports in print and microform in its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/rr\/scitech\/trs\/trscollections.html\">Technical Reports and Standards Unit<\/a> (TRS) and other collections. LC also maintains a list of online databases for technical reports. Copies of technical reports in the public domain (or portions of copyrighted works) can be ordered through LC&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/duplicationservices\/\">Photoduplication Service<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Agriculture &amp; Fisheries<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The National Agricultural Library (NAL) produces the\u00a0<a class=\"rId21\" href=\"https:\/\/agricola.nal.usda.gov\/\">Agricola<\/a> database, which includes both government publications and commercially published journals as well as audiovisual materials and websites. It is especially useful for locating material about local crops and livestock published by agricultural research stations and extension services. A researcher interested in historical sisal production in Hawai\u02bbi, for example, would find the publication <em>Sisal and the Utilization of Sisal Waste<\/em>, published by the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station in 1912. Access to Agricola is free through NAL, and it is also available through commercial platforms. The NAL also has a <a class=\"rId22\" href=\"https:\/\/naldc.nal.usda.gov\">digital collections page<\/a> that provides access to a vast library of digitized publications. <a href=\"https:\/\/pubag.nal.usda.gov\/\">PubAg<\/a> is NAL&#8217;s discovery layer for journal articles and other citations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The U.S. Forest Service maintains several regional research laboratories. Their research products can be found in the <a class=\"rId23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fs.usda.gov\/treesearch\/\">Treesearch<\/a> database. Treesearch includes not only Forest Service research papers but also references to articles in \u00a0scientific journals authored by Forest Service researchers. In addition to forestry, it also covers topics like road engineering, animals, and snowmelt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\">National Marine Fisheries Service<\/a>, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), operates several regional research laboratories, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/about\/pacific-islands-fisheries-science-center\">Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center<\/a>. Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/resources\/blogs\">resource directories<\/a> available through NOAA to locate scientific reports and data about fisheries, marine mammals, and other topics related to ocean life.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_61\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-61\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cover of Fur seals of the Pribilof Islands\" class=\"wp-image-60 size-medium\" width=\"236\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1.jpg 2016w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-236x300.jpg 236w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-806x1024.jpg 806w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-768x975.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-1210x1536.jpg 1210w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-1613x2048.jpg 1613w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-43x55.jpg 43w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-65x83.jpg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-225x286.jpg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2022\/03\/pribilof-scaled-1-350x444.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-61\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1. Baker, R. C. (1957). <em>Fur seals of the Pribilof Islands<\/em>. Government Printing Office.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/proquest.libguides.com\/asfa\/content\">Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts<\/a> database provides indexing and abstracting of research materials related to fisheries, aquaculture, marine environments, oceanography, and many other aquatic topics. It is a partnership between a number of national government fisheries-related agencies and intergovernmental organizations. It is published and distributed on the ProQuest platform under a cooperative agreement between ProQuest and the Food &amp; Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fao.org\/publications\/en\">FAO<\/a> has published hundreds of thousands of technical reports about agriculture, forestry, fisheries, nutrition, and other topics, many of which cover very small operations in remote areas. Therefore, it is an important resource for individuals researching small farms, subsistence farming and fishing, and community management of agricultural resources. <em>Small Animals for Small Farms<\/em> exemplifies an FAO publication intended to improve rural life in developing countries.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Wilson, R. T. (2011). Small animals for small farms. FAO Diversification Booklet 14. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/a-i2469e.pdf\" id=\"return-footnote-63-14\" href=\"#footnote-63-14\" aria-label=\"Footnote 14\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[14]<\/sup><\/a> Some libraries maintain collections of FAO reports on microfiche, most of which are also available on the FAO website.<\/p>\n<h2>Energy<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">In the 1940s, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) began to publish large numbers of technical and scientific reports related to nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. These were indexed in <em>Energy Research Abstracts<\/em> and distributed to AEC depository libraries. Libraries that participated in the AEC depository program accumulated tens of thousands of unclassified reports on nuclear energy in print or microform. The TRAIL project, mentioned earlier, is in the process of digitizing AEC reports if they are in the public domain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The AEC was succeeded by the Energy Research and Development Administration and the Department of Energy (DOE). Starting in the 1970s, the DOE issued hundreds of thousands of scientific and technical reports on microfiche. In the 1990s, DOE began to issue them online. Today, <a class=\"rId25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/\">OSTI.gov<\/a> (formerly Sci-Tech Connect) provides access to the contents of two DOE databases: Energy Citations Database, which succeeded the print publication <em>Energy Research Abstracts<\/em>, and DOE Information Bridge, which was an early e-publishing platform. While the majority of the reports in OSTI.gov are in full text, a substantial number, especially those published prior to 1991, have only citations.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Byrne, T. (2009). Scientific Government Information: Department of Energy Databases and Federated Search Tools. https:\/\/www.fdlp.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/falldlc09-byrne-deptenergyosti.pdf.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-15\" href=\"#footnote-63-15\" aria-label=\"Footnote 15\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[15]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Originating during World War II, DOE national laboratories are perhaps best known for their role in the development of nuclear weapons. The DOE operates 17 national research laboratories, most of which are run by government contractors. <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. Department of Energy. National laboratories. https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/national-laboratories\" id=\"return-footnote-63-16\" href=\"#footnote-63-16\" aria-label=\"Footnote 16\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[16]<\/sup><\/a> For example, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is operated by a partnership that consists of \u00a0University of California, Battelle Memorial Institute, and Texas A&amp;M University. While most of the work of LANL is for government agencies, they also have cooperative agreements with a number of corporations. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/dataexplorer\/\">DOE Data Explorer<\/a> provides a variety of data files, including geospatial data, maps, numeric data, models, and images created in DOE laboratories.\u00a0The <a href=\"https:\/\/nelha.hawaii.gov\">Natural Energy Research Laboratory of Hawai\u02bbi<\/a> (NELHA) is an example of a local research laboratory that receives funding from DOE and produces scientific and technical reports. Its emphasis is on ocean thermal energy conversion, solar, and biofuels. NELHA\u2019s research reports can be found in OSTI.gov.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">At the international level, the International Atomic Energy Agency&#8217;s (IAEA) <a class=\"rId26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iaea.org\/resources\/databases\/inis\">International Nuclear Information System<\/a> (INIS) contains over three million references to research reports on the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, and it includes reports on other technologies as well. INIS is compiled from submissions by member countries.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Defense Technical Information Center. (1998).\u00a0How to get it:\u00a0a guide to defense-related information resources. Defense Technical Information Center, p. 303.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-17\" href=\"#footnote-63-17\" aria-label=\"Footnote 17\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[17]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Transportation, Aeronautics, and Space<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formerly indexed its technical reports in STAR (<em>Scientific and <\/em><em>T<\/em><em>echnical <\/em><em>A<\/em><em>erospace Reports<\/em>). When NASA began to digitize the reports, it established the <a class=\"rId27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sti.nasa.gov\/\">NASA Technical Reports Server<\/a>. It contains tens of thousands of full-text technical reports and citations about a variety of aerospace and science topics that were produced by NASA and its predecessor, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">A few years ago the database was taken offline because NASA discovered that there was sensitive information in some of the reports. The agency had to complete a review of the content before it could make the database public again. A similar situation occurred with the LANL technical reports following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. It seems likely that these situations arose because the agencies digitized reports that were formerly only available to on-site researchers and published them on public websites without first vetting the content.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/ntl.bts.gov\/ntl\">National Transportation Library<\/a>\u00a0(NTL) is a gateway to several transportation-related databases that cover all modes of transportation and topics such as finance, environmental issues, and construction.\u00a0<span><em>TRID<\/em> (Transport Research International Documentation) \u201cis the world&#8217;s largest and most comprehensive bibliographic resource on transportation research information. It is produced and maintained by the Transportation Research Board [TRB] of the US <\/span>National Academies<span> with sponsorship by state departments of transportation, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and various federal agencies, and other sponsors of TRB&#8217;s core technical activities.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Transportation Research Board. About TRID. https:\/\/www.trb.org\/InformationServices\/AboutTRID.aspx\" id=\"return-footnote-63-18\" href=\"#footnote-63-18\" aria-label=\"Footnote 18\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[18]<\/sup><\/a> TRID consists of\u00a0<\/span>two databases: the Department of Transportation\u2019s\u00a0<em>Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS)<\/em> database and the <em>OECD Joint Transport Research Centre\u2019s International Transport Research Documentation (ITRD) Database<\/em>.\u00a0NTL also provices access to the <em>Research in Progress<\/em> database and the <em>TRB Publications Index<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2>Environment and Natural Resources<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publishes research on a variety of geology topics such as water resources, volcanoes, earthquakes, mines, and minerals. Its <em><a class=\"rId29\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.er.usgs.gov\/\">Publications Warehouse<\/a><\/em> is the online repository and index for its research products. It includes official publications such as USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and conference proceedings. Like <em>Treesearch<\/em>, it not only lists government publications, but also includes USGS scientists\u2019 research published in other arenas. The GeoRef database, published by the American Geosciences Institute, contains references to all USGS publications as well as theses and dissertations on geology topics from U.S. and Canadian universities.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"American Geosciences Institute. GeoRef Information Services. https:\/\/www.americangeosciences.org\/georef\/georef-information-services\" id=\"return-footnote-63-19\" href=\"#footnote-63-19\" aria-label=\"Footnote 19\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[19]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s <a class=\"rId30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/nscep\">National Service Center for Environmental Publications<\/a> contains digitized copies of EPA publications and citations for publications for which the full text is not available. It came into existence when EPA decided to digitize its publications and reduce the number of libraries it operated. Following a public outcry, the EPA only closed a few libraries.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2010). EPA needs to complete a strategy for its library network to meet users' needs. https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/products\/GAO-10-947\" id=\"return-footnote-63-20\" href=\"#footnote-63-20\" aria-label=\"Footnote 20\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[20]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) maintains a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/species\">database of species<\/a> under USFWS governance that contains detailed information about endangered plants and animals, including maps and regulatory information. Similarly, the National Marine Fisheries Service has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/find-species\">Find a Species<\/a> feature. It includes photographs and links to fact sheets about endangered and threatened species.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_61-2\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-61-2\" style=\"width: 231px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-231x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-61\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-231x300.jpg 231w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-789x1024.jpg 789w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-768x997.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-1184x1536.jpg 1184w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-1578x2048.jpg 1578w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-42x55.jpg 42w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-500x650.jpg 500w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-65x84.jpg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-225x292.jpg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods-350x454.jpg 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/Worlds-largest-floods.jpg 1696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-61-2\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 2. O\u2019Connor, J. E., &amp; Costa, J. E. (2004). <em>The world\u2019s largest floods, past and present: their causes and magnitudes<\/em>. U.S. Geological Survey.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Life Sciences and Medicine<\/h2>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><a class=\"rId31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/\">PubMed<\/a>, familiar to most librarians, is an extremely important database for government-produced biomedical literature. For example, it provides access to <em>Public Health Reports<\/em> and <em>Emerging Infectious Diseases<\/em>, two of the many scientific journals issued by agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services. The Smithsonian Institution has produced a number of technical report series related to life and earth sciences, including <em>Smithsonian contributions to<\/em>\u2026 various subjects such as botany and zoology. These and other scientific and technical publications such as <em>Atoll Research Bulletin<\/em>\u00a0are now available online in the Smithsonian\u2019s <a class=\"rId32\" href=\"https:\/\/repository.si.edu\/\">DSpace repository<\/a>.\u00a0Other agencies that produce technical reports covering the life sciences include the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Department of Defense, and NASA.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The World Health Organization produces technical reports related to public health and sanitation. If we search its institutional repository, <a class=\"rId33\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.who.int\/iris\/\">IRIS<\/a>, for <em>d<\/em><em>engue fever<\/em>, we find that some of the search results are conference papers, a common type of publication issued by intergovernmental organizations. Many of WHO\u2019s scientific and technical publications contain reports of research done worldwide as part of a working group or committee that is concerned with a particular disease or condition.<\/p>\n<h1>Standards and Specifications<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Another category of technical information is standards and specifications. The terms standard and specification are often used interchangeably.\u00a0\u201cA specification\u2026may be thought of as a purchase document that contains the description of the technical features of a product, material, process, or service that are required to meet the specific needs of a purchaser or an industry.\u201d Standards are specifications that are recognized by an authority.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Subramanyam, K. (1968). Technical literature. In Encyclopedia of library and information science.\u00a0New York: M. Dekker,\u00a0178.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-21\" href=\"#footnote-63-21\" aria-label=\"Footnote 21\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[21]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Houghton identified seven types of specifications:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dimensional standards specify the dimensions required for interoperability.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Material standards specify the chemical compositions and other characteristics of raw materials.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standards of performance or quality ensure that a product performs as intended.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standards of testing facilitate the comparison of materials or products.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standardized terminology allows researchers within a field to communicate with precision.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Codes of practice specify the installation and maintenance of equipment or a method of performing a task.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Documentation standards govern the creation of information products and services such as reproduction technologies, bibliographical control, and data processing.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Houghton, B. (1972). Technical information sources (2nd ed.). Linnet Books &amp; Clive Bingley.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-22\" href=\"#footnote-63-22\" aria-label=\"Footnote 22\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[22]<\/sup><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Federal specifications are administered by the General Services Administration (GSA). It publishes\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gsa.gov\/buying-selling\/purchasing-programs\/requisition-programs\/gsa-global-supply\/supply-standards\/index-of-federal-specifications-standards-and-commercial-item-descriptions\">Index of Federal Specifications, Standards, and Commercial Item Descriptions<\/a><\/em>. In it, you will find specifications and standards for everything from kitchen ladles to mildew resistance.<\/p>\n<div class=\"learning-objectives\">\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\">National Institute of Standards and Technology<\/a> (NIST), formerly called National Bureau of Standards, is part of the Department of Commerce. It issues standards and specifications for a variety of \u00a0systems. On of the most important standards is time, so NIST is the official clock of the United States, so to speak.\u00a0Weights and measures are another set of systems that NIST coordinates. Although the U.S. has never officially adopted the metric system, most foreign countries and scientific applications use it, so NIST tries to get industries to use it so that the nation can remain competitive. NIST operates the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/standardsgov\/standards-information-center\">Standards Information Center<\/a>\u00a0<span>\u00a0to \u201chelp users navigate a complex U.S. and international standards landscape.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Standard reference data (SRD) are measureable and quantifiable data used to specify requirements for technical systems. Although the U.S. government generally does not claim copyright on its publications, SRD is copyrighted.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"National Institute of Standards and Technology. Standard reference data public law. https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/srd\/public-law\" id=\"return-footnote-63-23\" href=\"#footnote-63-23\" aria-label=\"Footnote 23\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[23]<\/sup><\/a> Therefore, SRD is not available for free; researchers must purchase the data from NIST. This situation demonstrates how the legal requirement that the Department of Commerce operate on a cost-recovery basis affects free access to government information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Another category of specification is military specifications. These are often sought by manufacturers who want to sell to the government. <a class=\"rId35\" href=\"https:\/\/quicksearch.dla.mil\/\">ASSIST<\/a> is the website used to disseminate defense and federal specifications and standards, military handbooks, and related technical documents. In the specifications for Army boots, for instance, there are requirements for the range of sizes, materials, and other requirements for contractors. The specifications make reference to drawings that may be consulted, but the drawings themselves are not included in the specification and must be requested from the Army. The specifications also make reference to <a class=\"rId36\" href=\"https:\/\/www.astm.org\/Standard\/standards-and-publications.html\">ASTM standards<\/a>, which are not government publications, for some of the components.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<h2>Case Study: Specifications<\/h2>\n<p><em>Question: \u201cI am in the process of manufacturing new parts for vintage aircraft. The parts originally fell under procurement specification AN-T-20 which was superseded by MIL-T-5684A. This spec was then superseded by MIL-T-5684B. The information I am looking for was subsequently dropped in this revision. I am wondering if it would be possible to obtain a copy of MIL-T-5684 revision A.\u201d The patron had already tried ASSIST and other websites offering copies of military specifications.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The first step was to verify the citation for the desired specification. I consulted the 1952 edition of <em>Index of Military Specifications and Standards<\/em>. It confirmed the citation and gave the title, \u201cTie rods, streamline, round and square, aircraft\u201d and date of issue, 15 Oct 1951.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. Munitions Board. (1952). Index of military specifications and standards. U.S. Government Printing Office.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-24\" href=\"#footnote-63-24\" aria-label=\"Footnote 24\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[24]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Next, I searched in WorldCat for the specification. Unfortunately, there was no record, nor could the document be found in DTIC. I then consulted <em>How to Get It: A Guide to Defense-related Information Resources<\/em>, which states, \u201cRequests for superseded or cancelled specifications should be directed to the procurement or contracting officer of the military command having an interest in the document.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Defense Technical Information Center. (1998). How to get it: a guide to defense-related information resources. Defense Technical Information Center.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-25\" href=\"#footnote-63-25\" aria-label=\"Footnote 25\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[25]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>According to the Federal Acquisition Regulation on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acquisition.gov\/far\/52.211-2\">Acquisition.gov<\/a>, specifications not listed in ASSIST can be ordered in the following ways:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Phoning the DoDSSP Customer Service Desk (215) 697-2179, Mon-Fri, 0730 to 1600 EST; or<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ordering from DoDSSP, Building 4, Section D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Telephone (215) 697-2667\/2179, Facsimile (215) 697-1462.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The patron attempted to order it from DoDSSP but did not get a response. In the meantime, I learned that the Library of Congress (LC) has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/rr\/scitech\/trs\/trsover.html\">Technical Reports and Standards Unit<\/a> that maintains microfilmed copies of specifications and standards. I contacted LC to find out whether a copy of the desired specification was available. A reference librarian consulted the index and confirmed that it was. He sent the entry from the index:<\/p>\n<p>MIL-T-5684A: \u201cTerminals, Tie Rod, Threaded Clevis type Aircraft\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rev. A &#8211; 16 May 1950 \u2013 9 pages (Reel No. E714-1573)<\/p>\n<p>Base \u2013 27 Feb 1950 \u2013 12 pages (Reel No. 9691-3002)<\/p>\n<p>MIL-T-5684B:\u00a0 \u201cTie Rods, Round and Square, Aircraft\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rev A \u2013 16 May 1950 \u2013 9 pages (Reel No. 9406-2572)<\/p>\n<p>Rev. A. Amend. 1 \u2013 11 Dec. 1950 \u2013 2 pages (Reel No. 9063-1637)<\/p>\n<p>With this information, we were successfully able to place an order for the specification with LC\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/duplicationservices\/\">Photoduplication Service<\/a>. LC is often a collection of last resort for government documents, whether they be federal, state, local, or non-U.S., because of its comprehensive collection development policies and participation in exchange programs. LC\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/acq\/devpol\/law.html\">collections policy statements<\/a> for government documents are posted on its website.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Beyond federal standards and specifications, many international standards have also been developed. The Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), or International Bureau of Weights and Measures, was established through the Meter Convention in 1875. Its purpose is to \u201c<span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">ensure worldwide unification of measurements.\u201d BIPM<\/span>\u00a0publishes the International System of Units (SI), aka the Metric System, which is the \u201cpreferred language of science and technology.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Newell, D. B. &amp; Tiesinga, E., eds. (2019).\u00a0The International System of Units (SI). NIST Special Publication 330. National Institute of Standards and Technology.\u00a0https:\/\/nvlpubs.nist.gov\/nistpubs\/SpecialPublications\/NIST.SP.330-2019.pdf\" id=\"return-footnote-63-26\" href=\"#footnote-63-26\" aria-label=\"Footnote 26\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[26]<\/sup><\/a><\/span>\u00a0ISO standards are promulgated by the\u00a0<span>International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a <\/span>nongovernmental organization whose membership consists of the national standards bodies of 167 nations and territories. ISO came into existence in 1946. Other international standards include European Standards and International Telecommunication Union standards. There are also a number of national standards organizations in foreign countries.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/rr\/scitech\/trs\/trsstandards.html\">Library of Congress<\/a> maintains collections of federal, military, and international standards and specifications. Standards that have been incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations are available through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) <a href=\"https:\/\/ibr.ansi.org\/Standards\/Default.aspx\">Incorporated by Reference (IBR) Portal<\/a>. Access is free, but the standards are only available for viewing and cannot be downloaded or printed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"learning-objectives\">\n<h1>Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, Management Plans<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Environmental impact statements (EISs), environmental assessments (EAs), management plans, remediation plans, and other types of environmental planning documents contain a wealth of useful information about places.\u00a0Federal EISs are required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).<\/p>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 6\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<blockquote><p><span>NEPA\u2019s procedural requirements apply to a Federal agency\u2019s decisions on proposed actions, <\/span><span>including <\/span><span>providing permits for private actions<\/span><span>; financing, assisting, conducting, or approving projects or programs; issuing agency rules, regulations, plans, policies, or procedures; making Federal land management decisions; and an <\/span><span>agency\u2019s legislative proposals.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Council on Environmental Quality. (2021). A citizen's guide to NEPA, 5.\u00a0https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/citizens-guide-to-nepa-2021.pdf\" id=\"return-footnote-63-27\" href=\"#footnote-63-27\" aria-label=\"Footnote 27\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[27]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">When an agency contemplates a proposed action, it must first determine whether the action falls within the agency&#8217;s established categorical exclusions for actions that it has determined do not have significant environmental impacts. If the proposed action has unknown environmental effects, the agency must prepare an EA. At that point, the agency either issues a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or prepares a draft EIS. The public is permitted to comment on the draft. Then, the agency may prepare a final EIS. Often, EAs and EISs are written by contractors on behalf of federal agencies. When first issued in draft form, copies are usually deposited with the nearest public library during the public comment period. Upon issuance of a draft or final EIS, a notice is published in the <em>Federal Register.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_62\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-62\" style=\"width: 229px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cover of Brothers grazing management program\" class=\"wp-image-62 size-medium\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1.jpg 1951w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-229x300.jpg 229w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-780x1024.jpg 780w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-768x1008.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-1171x1536.jpg 1171w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-1561x2048.jpg 1561w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-42x55.jpg 42w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-65x85.jpg 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-225x295.jpg 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/08\/grazing-scaled-1-350x459.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 229px) 100vw, 229px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-62\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 3. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Prineville Unit. (1982). <em>Brothers grazing management program: environmental impact statement.<\/em>\u00a0Government Printing Office.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Most federal EISs can be found in the EPA\u2019s <a class=\"rId38\" href=\"https:\/\/cdxapps.epa.gov\/cdx-enepa-II\/public\/action\/eis\/search\">EIS database<\/a>\u00a0or in <a href=\"http:\/\/libguides.northwestern.edu\/environmentalimpactassessment\">Northwestern University Transportation Library&#8217;s EIS collection<\/a>. Let\u2019s examine the final EIS issued in 2016 concerning Hawaiian spinner dolphins, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/media.fisheries.noaa.gov\/2021-07\/enhancing-protections-for-hawaiian-spinner-dolphins-feis-508.pdf?VersionId=null\">Enhancing Protections for Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins to Prevent Disturbance<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0A growing \u201cswim with the dolphins\u201d industry in Hawai\u02bbi gave rise to concerns that such activities were harmful to the dolphins. The EIS lists the statutory authority under which interaction with dolphins may be regulated (Marine Mammal Protection Act) and includes scientific information about spinner dolphins\u2019 biology, behavior, and habitat. In addition, it includes maps and aerial photographs of dolphin habitats and describes the cultural significance of the creatures to Native Hawaiians. The EIS lists a number of possible actions that could be taken to reduce impact on the dolphins. It also includes a list of references that would likely be useful for someone who is researching the habitat or behavior of these creatures. The public comments received on the draft EIS are also included. A discussion of the issues, written for the layperson, is also posted on the NMFS website.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"National Marine Fisheries Service. (2018). Six reasons why you should not swim with wild spinner dolphins. https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/six-reasons-why-you-should-not-swim-wild-spinner-dolphins\" id=\"return-footnote-63-28\" href=\"#footnote-63-28\" aria-label=\"Footnote 28\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[28]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Other types of planning and management documents may not be distributed and archived in the same way that EISs are. In that case, they may be \u201cunreported documents,\u201d as described above.<\/p>\n<h1><a id=\"Websites and Activities for Children\" href=\"\"><\/a>Websites and Activities for Children<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Most federal agencies maintain websites for children. They usually feature videos, activities, games, and lesson plans for teachers. Many of these resources relate to STEM (science, technology, engingeering, and mathematics) education. The <a class=\"rId39\" href=\"https:\/\/godort.libguides.com\/gic\">Government Information for Children Committee<\/a> of the Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association maintains a guide to federal and state agency sites for children. Intergovernmental organizations also produce information for children.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Examples<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>NIST\u2019s <a class=\"rId41\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/pml\/weights-and-measures\/writing-metric-units\">Writing with Metric Units<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Alaska Fish and Game&#8217;s <a class=\"rId45\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adfg.alaska.gov\/static\/species\/livingwithwildlife\/bears\/pdfs\/be_bear_aware_coloring_book_2016.pdf\"><em>Be Bear Aware Coloring Book<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<li>NPS&#8217;s\u00a0<span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/teachers\/classrooms\/upload\/Election-that-led-to-war-lesson-plan.pdf\">1860: The Election that Led to War<\/a> lesson plan<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1><a id=\"Government Grants and Research Funding\" href=\"\"><\/a>Government Grants and Research Funding<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">This chapter will conclude with a discussion of the federal government\u2019s grantmaking activity and recent policies that promote access to government-funded research. Beginning in the 1930s, grantmaking was part of the establishing legislation for agencies. As a result of this grantmaking authority, agencies required periodic reports on the progress of grant-funded research. However, there were no requirement about where the research had to be published or deposited. Research results were disseminated through conferences, publications, agency-published reporting journals (e.g., <em>Cancer Chemotherapy Reports<\/em>) or agency-published indexes to research (e.g., the Public Health Service\u2019s <em>Research Grants Index<\/em>). Although agencies issued publications that announced the awarding of grants and indexed the research, they did not necessarily provide access to the research reports themselves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">The National Institutes of Health (NIH) developed a policy, later codified into law, that required NIH-funded researchers to deposit their research in PubMed Central within 12 months of publication and to include a data management plan with their research proposals. You might be surprised to learn how controversial this stance is. The Research Works Act was even introduced in Congress to overturn NIH\u2019s policy, but it was eventually abandoned.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Jaser, C. (2012). Public access to government-funded research: A right or a privilege? DttP: Documents to the People 40(4), 31-35.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-29\" href=\"#footnote-63-29\" aria-label=\"Footnote 29\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[29]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Laws to require agencies other than NIH to have similar policies have not fared well in Congress. Three laws, the <em>Federal Research Public Access Act of 2006, Federal Research Public Access Act of 2009 (FRPAA)<\/em>, and<em> Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act (FASTR) <\/em>of 2017 have all failed to make it through Congress. FASTR, the most recent, would have required each federal agency with extramural research expenditures of over $100 million to develop a federal research public access policy, to develop public access policies applicable to agency researchers and agency-funded researchers, and to require each federal agency to submit an annual report on its federal research public access policy to Congress. It also included a 12-month embargo period, during which public access would not be required.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (2016). Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015: report of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, to accompany S. 779, to provide for federal agencies to develop public access policies relating to research conducted by employees of that agency or from funds administered by that agency. Government Publishing Office.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-30\" href=\"#footnote-63-30\" aria-label=\"Footnote 30\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[30]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Because of the lack of progress in Congress, and in response to a public petition, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a memorandum directing agencies with over $100 million in R&amp;D expenditures to develop public access policies. The policy required agencies to<\/p>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<blockquote><p><span>1) ensure that the full text of scholarly journal articles reporting on Federally funded research is freely available to the public not more than 12 months after publication; and 2) develop data management plans for new research projects that describe how data generated as part of the research will be made maximally available to other researchers and the public in a timely manner while protecting privacy, security, and other proprietary concerns.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Lander, E. S. (2021). Letter to\u00a0Senate and House Appropriations Committees. 5 November 2021.\" id=\"return-footnote-63-31\" href=\"#footnote-63-31\" aria-label=\"Footnote 31\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[31]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">A 2022 update to the policy required that agencies make articles available immediately and eliminated embargo periods.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (2022, August 25). OSTP issues guidance to make federally funded research freely available without delay. https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2022\/08\/25\/ostp-issues-guidance-to-make-federally-funded-research-freely-available-without-delay\/\" id=\"return-footnote-63-32\" href=\"#footnote-63-32\" aria-label=\"Footnote 32\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[32]<\/sup><\/a> The agencies to which the policy applies, and some others, have developed public access plans and are still in the process of implementing the directive by establishing internal policies and procedures and developing online platforms for search and retrieval.<\/p>\n<h1><a id=\"Librarian's Library\" href=\"\"><\/a>Insider&#8217;s Library<\/h1>\n<p><strong>Council on Environmental Quality. (2007). <em>A<\/em> c<em>itizen&#8217;s guide to the NEPA: Having your voice heard<\/em>. Washington, D.C.:\u00a0Council on Environmental Quality.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/Citizens_Guide_Dec07.pdf\">https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/Citizens_Guide_Dec07.pdf<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This guide very thoroughly describes the federal process for compliance with NEPA and explains EIS terminology such as Notice of Intent (NOI) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><strong>O\u2019Hara, F. J. (1979). <em>A guide to publications of the executive branch<\/em>. Pierian Press.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Arranged by agency, this detailed bibliographic guide lists many of the most important scientific and technical publications of the federal government, many of which are still being issued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><strong>Sears, J. L. and Moody, M. K. (2001). <em>Using government information sources: Electronic and print<\/em> (3rd ed.). Oryx.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">Sears and Moody\u2019s classic work provides the best fairly recent overview of the federal government\u2019s scientific and technical output.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Subramanyam, K. (1968). Technical literature. In <em>Encyclopedia of library and information science.<\/em>\u00a0<span>M. Dekker,<\/span>\u00a0p. 144-209.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although dated, this chapter provides detailed information about the characteristics of technical reports and the growth of government technical literature following World War II.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\"><strong>United States. Atomic Energy Commission. Technical Information Service. (1960). <em>What\u2019s available in the atomic energy literature?<\/em> <a class=\"rId47\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/servlets\/purl\/4158407-tY7Yub\/\">https:\/\/www.osti.gov\/servlets\/purl\/4158407-tY7Yub\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">This volume explains the variety of material in AEC reports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-Normal\">\n<hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-63-1\">U.S. House of Representatives. (1836). <em>Report of the expedition of the squadron of dragoons to the Rocky Mountains during the summer of 1835.<\/em>\u00a024th Congress, 1st session, H.doc. 18. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-2\">Dorsey, J. O. (1896). Omaha dwellings, furniture, and implements. In <em>Thirteenth annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1891-92<\/em>. Government Printing Office. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-3\">Packard, A. S. (1890). <em>Fifth report of the United States Entomological Commission<\/em>. Government Printing Office. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-4\">U.S. Department of Defense. (1964). <em>Glossary of information handling<\/em>. U.S. Government Printing Office. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-5\">Loope, L. L., Meyer, J. Y., Hardesty, B. D. &amp; Smith, C. W. (eds.). (2009). <em>Proceedings of the International Miconia Conference, Keanae, Maui, Hawaii, May 4-7, 2009<\/em>. Maui Invasive Species Committee and Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai\u2018i at M\u0101noa. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-5\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 5\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-6\">U.S. Geological Survey. <em>Open-file reports.<\/em> https:\/\/pubs.er.usgs.gov\/browse\/Report\/USGS Numbered Series\/Open-File Report\/ <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-6\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 6\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-7\">Downey, J. A. (1978). <em>US federal official publications: the international dimension.<\/em> Pergamon. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-7\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 7\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-8\">Bureau of Naval Personnel. (1951). <em>Builder 3 &amp; 2<\/em>. NAVPERS 10648-A. Government Printing Office. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-8\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 8\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-9\">Center for Research Libraries. <em>Technical Report Archive &amp; Image Library<\/em>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.technicalreports.org\/trail\/search\/\">http:\/\/www.technicalreports.org\/trail\/search\/<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-9\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 9\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-10\">U.S.\u00a0<span>Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight. (2014).\u00a0<\/span><em>A more efficient and effective government: The National Technical Information Service:<\/em><span><em>\u00a0Hearing before the Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, second session, July 23, 2014<\/em>. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/CHRG-113shrg91174\/pdf\/CHRG-113shrg91174.pdf\">https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/CHRG-113shrg91174\/pdf\/CHRG-113shrg91174.pdf<\/a>. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-10\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 10\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-11\">Nickum, L. S. (2008). Elusive no longer? Increasing accessibility to the federally funded technical report literature. <em>The Reference Librarian 45<\/em>, 33-51. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-11\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 11\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-12\">U.S. Office of Scientific and Technical Information. Science.gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.gov\/scigov\/desktop\/en\/search.html\">https:\/\/www.science.gov\/scigov\/desktop\/en\/search.html<\/a>  <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-12\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 12\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-13\">Defense Technical Information Center. (1995). <em>Introducing the Defense Technical Information Center<\/em>. Defense Technical Information Center. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-13\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 13\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-14\">Wilson, R. T. (2011). <em>Small animals for small farms.<\/em> FAO Diversification Booklet 14. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/a-i2469e.pdf\">http:\/\/www.fao.org\/3\/a-i2469e.pdf<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-14\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 14\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-15\">Byrne, T. (2009). <em>Scientific Government Information: Department of Energy Databases and Federated Search Tools.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fdlp.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/falldlc09-byrne-deptenergyosti.pdf\">https:\/\/www.fdlp.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/falldlc09-byrne-deptenergyosti.pdf<\/a>. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-15\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 15\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-16\">U.S. Department of Energy. <em>National laboratories.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/national-laboratories\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/national-laboratories<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-16\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 16\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-17\">Defense Technical Information Center. (1998).\u00a0<em>How to get it:\u00a0<\/em><span><em>a guide to defense-related information resources<\/em>. Defense Technical Information Center, p. 303. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-17\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 17\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-18\">Transportation Research Board. About <em>TRID<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trb.org\/InformationServices\/AboutTRID.aspx\">https:\/\/www.trb.org\/InformationServices\/AboutTRID.aspx<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-18\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 18\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-19\">American Geosciences Institute. <em>GeoRef Information Services.<\/em> https:\/\/www.americangeosciences.org\/georef\/georef-information-services <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-19\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 19\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-20\">U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2010). <em>EPA needs to complete a strategy for its library network to meet users' needs.<\/em> https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/products\/GAO-10-947 <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-20\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 20\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-21\">Subramanyam, K. (1968). Technical literature. In <em>Encyclopedia of library and information science.<\/em>\u00a0New York: M. Dekker,\u00a0178. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-21\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 21\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-22\">Houghton, B. (1972). <em>Technical information sources<\/em> (2nd ed.). Linnet Books &amp; Clive Bingley. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-22\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 22\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-23\">National Institute of Standards and Technology. <em>Standard reference data public law<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/srd\/public-law\">https:\/\/www.nist.gov\/srd\/public-law<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-23\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 23\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-24\">U.S. Munitions Board. (1952). <em>Index of military specifications and standards<\/em>. U.S. Government Printing Office. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-24\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 24\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-25\">Defense Technical Information Center. (1998). <em>How to get it: a guide to defense-related information resources<\/em>. Defense Technical Information Center. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-25\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 25\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-26\">Newell, D. B. &amp; Tiesinga, E., eds. (2019).\u00a0<em><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">The International System of Units (SI). <\/span><\/em><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">NIST Special Publication 330. National Institute of Standards and Technology.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nvlpubs.nist.gov\/nistpubs\/SpecialPublications\/NIST.SP.330-2019.pdf\">https:\/\/nvlpubs.nist.gov\/nistpubs\/SpecialPublications\/NIST.SP.330-2019.pdf<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-26\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 26\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-27\">Council on Environmental Quality. (2021). <em>A citizen's guide to NEPA,<\/em> 5.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/citizens-guide-to-nepa-2021.pdf\">https:\/\/ceq.doe.gov\/docs\/get-involved\/citizens-guide-to-nepa-2021.pdf<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-27\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 27\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-28\">National Marine Fisheries Service. (2018). <em>Six reasons why you should not swim with wild spinner dolphins.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/six-reasons-why-you-should-not-swim-wild-spinner-dolphins\">https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/feature-story\/six-reasons-why-you-should-not-swim-wild-spinner-dolphins<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-28\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 28\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-29\">Jaser, C. (2012). Public access to government-funded research: A right or a privilege? <em>DttP: Documents to the People 40<\/em>(4), 31-35. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-29\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 29\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-30\">U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (2016). <em>Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2015: report of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, to accompany S. 779, to provide for federal agencies to develop public access policies relating to research conducted by employees of that agency or from funds administered by that agency<\/em>. Government Publishing Office. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-30\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 30\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-31\">Lander, E. S. (2021). Letter to\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Senate and House Appropriations Committees. 5 November 2021. <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-31\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 31\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-63-32\">White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (2022, August 25). <em>OSTP issues guidance to make federally funded research freely available without delay<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2022\/08\/25\/ostp-issues-guidance-to-make-federally-funded-research-freely-available-without-delay\/\">https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2022\/08\/25\/ostp-issues-guidance-to-make-federally-funded-research-freely-available-without-delay\/<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-63-32\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 32\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div><div class=\"glossary\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\" id=\"definition\">definition<\/span><template id=\"term_63_149\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_63_149\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>A detailed written study of a particular subject, usually on a scientific or technical topic.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_63_144\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_63_144\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Preprints, conference proceedings, working papers, and other unpublished material with limited distribution.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><\/div>","protected":false},"author":39,"menu_order":9,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-63","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":18,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":164,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63\/revisions\/164"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/18"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=63"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=63"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu\/govinfo2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}