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New Titles Archives

• 50 states.com: Ready Reference
• Constitution Finder (Univ. of Richmond)
• Google State Government Information Search
• MelissaData Lookups
• OffStats: Official Statistics on the Web
• Social Explorer: Demographic Data Maps
• Statemaster: statistics for states

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The U.S. Government Information Directory

last updated on: February 22, 2007

PLEASE FORGIVE OUR DUPLICATES - we try to include titles in those categories in which they may be of interest.

FEATURED TITLE:Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2007 (Library location: Ready reference, C 1.134: 2007)
New Tables:

• Footwear: consumption, production, and foreign trade
• Non-U.S. citizens awarded doctorates in science and engineering, by visa type and country of citizenship
• Foster care and adaption
• Wetlands on nofederal land and water areas by land cover/use and farm-production region
• Persons who have ever has sexual contact by selected characteristics

NEW ON OUR ARTS/HUMANITIES PAGE:

• Performing Arts Encyclopedia: Guide to Collections of the Library of Congress

NEH Summer seminars and institutes for college and university teachers
(Library location: Lewis Room)

• Toward a hemispheric American literature
• James Joyce's Ulysses: texts and contexts
• Roman religion in its cultural context
• Pragmatism: a living tradition
• Roots: African dimensions of the early history and cultures of the Americas
• Reconsidering Flannery O'Connor
• and more!

• A conversation with Tom Wolfe: the 2006 Jefferson lecture
• "Little Sure shot"" the saga of Annie Oakley
• Paintings by victorian travelers
• Defining freedom: a new style for suffragists (on Mary Walker and women's dress reform)

"The Conservation Project Support program awards matching grants to help museums identify conservation needs and priorities and perform activities to ensure the safekeeping of their collections. Conservation Project Support grants help museums develop a logical, institution-wide approach to caring for their living and nonliving collections. "

"The collection represents a 30-year effort to document graphically the 19th and early 20th century history of the Senate, the Capitol, and American political history. The diverse illustrations range from inauguration ceremonies and impeachment trials to senoatorial portraits and political cartoons. Represented in the Senate's graphic art collection are some of the most notable artists who worked in the printmaking medium: Augustus Kollner, Rembrandt Peale, Alexander Hay Ritchie, Thomas Nast, and Joseph Keppler."

NEW LINKS ON OUR BUSINESS/ECON PAGE:

• EDGAR SCAN (Price Waterhouse Coopers)

Agricultural Statistics, 2006 (CD-ROM) (Library location: at ref desk, A 1.47/2:2006)

This annual compilation has data on agricultural production, supplies, consumption, facilities, costs, and returns. Note: 2006 statistics have not yet been added to the online version, which also lacks certain search features that are available in the CD-ROMversion.

"The deficit for 2006 will be notably lower than the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated in March, when it issued its previous projections of the federal budget. The broad fiscal outlook for the coming decade, however, has not changed materially since then."

• Overview of Major Federal Securities Laws
• The Tourism Industry and Economic Issues Affecting It
• The U.S. Tade Deficit: Causes, Consequences, and Cures

"The recent increases in energy prices have dampened economic growth in the United States. The growth of real (inflation-adjusted) GDP was probably reduced by about a quarter of a percentage point in 2004 and by less than half a percentage point in 2005; so far this year, the reduction has been about a quarter of a percentage point. Therefore, GDP in 2006 is probably lower by about 1 percent than it would have been if energy prices had not risen."

"The increase in the cost of a total benefits package from 1991 to 2005 was largely composed of increases in the cost of providing health insurance and retirement income. In combination with paid leave, these benefits comprised almost 60 percent of benefit packages. Paid leave had traditionally been the most costly benefit to employers, but by 2005, the cost of health insurance equaled that of paid leave."

This is the BEA's most comprehensive survey of the financial structure and operations of U.S. affiliates of foreign companies, including balance sheets, income statements, sales of goods and services, external financial position, employment and compensation of employees, U.S. trade in goods, R&D expenditures, and U.S. land owned.

"The prevalence of food insecurity declined from 11.9 percent of households in 2004 to 11.0 percent in 2005, while the prevalence of very low food security remained unchanged at 3.9 percent. This report, based on data from the December 2005 food security survey, provides the most recent statistics on the food security of U.S. households, as well as on how much they spent for food and the extent to which food-insecure households participated in Federal and community food assistance programs. "

• The labor market impact
• Worker mobility before and after
• Dama to the Gulf of Mexico ocean economy
• The effects on industry employment and wages
• etc.

"From January 2000 through December 2004... the average monthly U&C prices for a 30-day supply of 96 prescription drugs frequently used by BCBS FEP Medicare and non- Medicare enrollees increased 24.5 percent. Twenty of the 96 drugs accounted for nearly two-thirds of the increase in the U&C price index."

"This study presents basic facts about the pharmaceutical industry's spending on research and development and about the types and numbers of new drugs that result from it. The study also analyzes several major issues related to pharmaceutical R&D: 1. What explains the cost of developing new drugs? 2. Does federal investment in R&D stimulate or displace private investment? 3. Has the drug industry's innovative performance declined? 4.How profitable are drug firms, and how do profits affect the amount and type of R&D that companies conduct?"

"This integrative review of research provides relevant, current information on the role of sense of place in natural-resourcebased recreation and tourism. Special focus is given to the foundations of place attachment, how place attachment may differ among user types, and the relation of place attachment to other psychological phenomena such as attitudes. The role of theory in place attachment also is addressed, and gaps in theoretical and empirical work are identified."

" With information from the Census of Population and Housing, along with data from a plethora of other sources, this handy statistical guide covers everything from Agriculture to Veterans

"In addition to taxes paid, taxpayers also bear compliance costs and efficiency costs. Understanding the magnitude of these additional costs is important because every dollar spent on compliance and lost due to inefficiency represents a dollar that society could have spent for other purposes. In response to a congressional request for information on the magnitude of the compliance and efficiency costs of the current federal tax system, this [GAO] study describes the nature of these costs, presents the difficulties associated with estimating them, and summarizes existing estimates of their magnitude."

"This report compiles data from national and international sources to examine how programs, their participates, and the societal environment in which they all operate, relate to change, or constancy over the past decades. It also includes reports on projections of program status into the future, looking at the cause of the solvency issues that will challenge the program in the decades ahead. "

Statistics for union affiliation by age, sex, race and ethnicity; by occupation, industry, state and more.

"In 1979, among full-time workers, women's earnings were 62 percent of men's; by 2005 the ratio had grown to 81 percent. The movement of women into the labor force and into higher-paying occupations has gone hand in hand with their pursuit of higher education. For example, in 1970, about one-tenth of women age 25 to 64 in the labor force had completed 4 or more years of college; by 2005, one-third held at least a bachelor's degree.

Occupational outlook quarterly, Fall 2006 vol. 50 no.3 (Library location: Lewis Room, or L 2.70/4:50/3)

• Working abroad: finding international internships and entry-level jobs
• Appearance and job interviews
• Tailoring resumes to job type
• You're a what? Auctioneer
• Job outlook by education, 2004-14

Occupational Outlook Quarterly :Winter 2006-07

• Careers for creature lovers
• Work more, earn more: Occupations that pay a premium for longer workweeks
• Jobs in weddings and funerals: Working with the betrothed and the bereaved
• You're a what? Avalanche forecaster

Campus crime : compliance and enforcement under the Clery Act : hearing before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, May 19, 2006
(Library location: Y 4.J 89/2:S.HRG.109-590)

"We are going to be examining today the enforcement of the Clery Act, an act named for Jeanne Clery, who was a 19-year-old freshman at Lehigh University back in 1986 when she was the victim of a brutal rape and murder...As a result of [her parents'] initiative, we enacted legislation which requires universities and colleges to report what is happening on the campuses with respect to violence and criminal activity."

This fact sheet contains suggestions for physical security measures, employee management, network security and other issues related to terrorist threats. Includes links to web resources.

The Department of Education's 2007-2008 comprehensive guide to financial aid opportunities is now available in English.

• Toward a hemispheric American literature
• James Joyce's Ulysses: texts and contexts
• Roman religion in its cultural context
• Pragmatism: a living tradition
• Roots: African dimensions of the early history and cultures of the Americas
• Reconsidering Flannery O'Connor
• and more!

Copyright issues in digital media

An overview from the Congressional Budget Office: "At the same time, copyright law today applies to a growing number of products. Although the most prominent disputes over digital copyright concern music and movies, copyright law also applies directly to other products, such as computer software. Some manufacturers of software and other products have responded to technological advances by proposing new types of product licenses to protect and extend their commercial interests. Those new licensing practices could, however, potentially run counter to consumers' interests."

"As new services, particularly video, stretch the limits of today's broadband capacity to the home, we are confronted with net-neutrality arguments from providers of broadband access, like cable, telephone companies, and wireless providers, on one side, and arguments from Internet-content and -application providers, like Google, eBay, Amazon, Vonage, and others, on the other side. All sides are exploring new businesses, new business models, providing new offerings to their customers. Groups for and against regulation, both, make compelling arguments that their way is the best way to encourage investment, innovation, and job creation."

"High-speed broadband Internet services have dramatically enhanced the ability of Americans to access the Internet, but the safeguards that we have allowed these services—that have allowed these services to flourish are under growing legal and regulatory assault."

"Now, we will work within the confines of the First Amendment, but we must do what we can to shield children from inappropriate and pornographic content, no matter where it comes from. We need to understand whether filtering technologies available to parents are effective. We also want to examine the Children's Online Protection Act, which is now under court review."

"Former FCC Commissioner Furchgott-Roth estimates that nearly two-thirds of the rules passed to implement the 1996 Act have been completely or partially overturned. And some rules remanded to the FCC still have not been revised 10 years after passage of the 1996 Act. As we listen to our panel today the Committee must consider how we can be sure that any legislation we approve is clear, competitively neutral, and readily implemented."

Best practices for effecting the rehabilitation of affordable housing (Library location: HH 14.2:AF 2, v.1-2)

"These best practices are designed to address the challenges to rehab at its development, construction, and occupancy stages. Volume 1 is a comprehensive resource guide to state, local, and federal tools for overcoming barriers. Volume 2 provides analyses of key rehab resources and barriers, and case studies of state and local efforts to overcome major regulatory impediments."

"Disability prevalence is rising in the under-age-65 population and, although it has decreased slightly for people aged 65 and older, it will begin to rise sharply as the current senior population of 34 million doubles over the next 20 years...communities will face significant challenges as they strive to address consumers' needs in a coordinated and comprehensive manner, reduce fragmentation in the service delivery system, provide consumer choice, and implement policies and programs that help adults with disabilities remain independent and involved in community life."

Designed to aid those wishing to work to reduce stigma and discrimination against those with mental health: "A key component of the EBI -and a major focus of this kit- is grassroots support and outreach. Each of the eight States that participated in the EBI formed partnerships, mobilized volunteers, and conducted other on-the-ground activities that generated attention from the media, paved the way for entry into school systems and businesses, and took mental health out of the shadows. Indeed, the program's impact was deepened through the vibrant community-based initiatives conducted by groups and individuals, including local speakers' bureaus and other activities intended to foster direct contact between people with mental illnesses and the public at large."

Produced by the Department of Health and Human Services, these Spanish-language guides are part of the "Building Blocks for a Healthy Future" series. The guides provide tips and activities for families to create a healthy relationship, based on frequent communication between parents and children. The ultimate goal is to make safe and healthy choices, and avoid future substance abuse.

"HUD also paid an estimated $1.4 billion in improper payments in the year 2003. $896,000,000 of these were made in overpayments; $519,000,000, more importantly, were dollars that never went to the intended recipients. What that means is that the net amount of taxpayer dollars lost was $377 million, enough to house 56,000 additional people -families- with rental assistance, in decent affordable housing."

"HUD’s Energy Strategy identifies actions HUD will take to promote energy efficiency in public and assisted housing and in housing financed through HUD's formula and competitive grant programs...Its goal is to provide information, incentives, and technical assistance to HUD's customers and partners to make informed decisions to reduce energy costs in their buildings, either in the development or design of new housing or in the management, maintenance, or operation of existing housing stock."

This video, accompanies by pamphlets, describes the programs that use a partnership model to fight homelessness in Seattle and Philadelphia.

Research-based web design and usability guidelines (Library location: HE 1.2:W 38/2006)

"Each guideline in this book shows a rating of its 'Relative Importance' to the success of a Web site, and a rating of the 'Strength of Evidence' supporting the guideline. Professional Web designers, usability specialists, and academic researchers contributed to these ratings. The ratings allow the user to quickly ascertain which guidelines have the greatest impact on the success of a Web site, and to determine the nature and quality of the supporting evidence."

Don't let the long title fool you: this is sensible, short and useful advice.

NEW ON OUR INTERNATIONAL/FOREIGN POLICY PAGE:

• Directory of Development Organizations
• Eurostat : EU Statistics Portal
• Interaction: American Council for Voluntary International Action *
• IGO information web search
• International Center for Not-For-Profit Law *
• Library, United States Institute of Peace
• NGO Research Guide (Duke Univ. Lib.)
• NGO Statistical Data Sources
• Peace Agreements Digital Collections (USIP)

Angola's long-delayed election: hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations of the House Committee on International Relations, July 20, 2006
(Library location: Y 4.IN 8/16:AN 4/7)

"According to the current State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices, the right of Angolan citizens to change their government at all levels has been compromised, largely due to the continued delay in holding elections, but also because of other issues. Angolan law provides for freedom of speech and assembly, but in practice, both rights have been restricted by the government."

Formerly Patterns of Global Terrorism, this annual report contains information on terrorist organizations, international cooperation in fighting terrorism, strategic assessments, and of course reports by country of terrorist activity.

"...the Nigerian Government has made a serious effort to address this problem. At the heart of corruption in Nigeria, however, are those who wield government authority. According to a report done by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission last year, the country's excessive government stole or misused about $400 billion during the last four decades of the 20th century. That amount is about equal to all of the aid given to Africa by Western donors during the same period of time."

This hearing examines whether religious freedom is possible for Christians residing in Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the West Bank.

"Sadly, in Native American communities across the country, native languages are in rapid decline. In fact, it's estimated that only 20 indigenous languages will remain viable by the year 2050. As a result of this rapid decline, some communities across the country have made language recovery and preservation one of their highest priorities. The link between education, language and culture is considered by many as paramount to preserving the identity of Native Americans. "

Agroterrorism - why we're not ready: a look at the role of law enforcement

"Many believe that public health officials would lead the response to an agroterrorism attack, but this might not be the case. The laws of most States require that such an event be handled as a crime scene investigation, giving law enforcement primary responsibility."

"Indications are that animal rights groups that have used extreme tactics to press their point of view were taking advantage of the fact that animal enterprise laws do not cover these types of secondary relationships to wage a campaign of threats, harassment, intimidation and fear-mongering in an effort to have them sever their relationships with targeted animal enterprises."

"This study examines terrorists' involvement in a variety of crimes ranging from motor vehicle violations, immigration fraud, and manufacturing illegal firearms to counterfeiting, armed bank robbery, and smuggling weapons of mass destruction. Special attention is given to transnational organized crime. Crimes are analyzed through the routine activity perspective and social learning theory."

"In response to the Supreme Court's decision in Atkins v. Virginia, which prohibited the execution of a mentally retarded offender as unconstitutional, the bill implements procedures for the determination of whether a defendant is, in fact, mentally retarded. Although the Federal system prohibited such executions prior to Atkins, the Federal capital statutes did not have any specific statutes addressing how such a determination should be made..."

"It is inexplicable to me how someone can seek to divest the Federal courts of jurisdiction on constitutional issues. If the courts are not opened to decide constitutional issues, how is constitutionality going to be tested? With habeas corpus, there is a special hurdle, a specific hurdle in the Constitution. Many do not know about it, but habeas corpus can be suspended only in time of rebellion or in time of invasion, and neither is present here."

"a comprehensive Manual for the full and fair prosecution of alien unlawful enemy combatants by military commissions, in accordance with the Military Commissions Act of 2006."

The entries are brief, but include names, dates and places - a useful reference source covering incidents worldwide.

With case summaries and narratives, chapters on circumstances, procedures, training and such controversial issues as "suicide by cop," this report provides both data and analysis.

NEW LINKS ON OUR EDUCATION PAGE:

• Child Care and Early Education Research Connection

Arts instruction of public school students in the first and third grades (Library location: Ed 1.322/2:SCH 6/12)

"For each area of the arts, the prevalence of instruction is measured by whether students worked on lessons or projects in that topic area at least once per week. Measures were also created to examine changes between grades for students who had arts instruction in at least one grade."

Published by the Partnership for Reading, this little picture book is meant for parents and children (preschool - grade 3) learning to read.

Block scheduling meets tools and strategies for learning based on students' various learning modes; the book follows the standards developed by Marzano and Kendall. Note: this edition was created for JROTC programs, but the examples and sample lessons plans presented are straight from the original edition.

Ideas for talking, playing and reading with children and that will help them become good readers/writers later in life.

• A child becomes a reader: birth through preschool (library location: Y 3.L 71:2 C 43/BIRTH/2006)
• Shining stars: kindergartners learn to read (Y 3.L 71:2 SH 6)
• Shining stars: first graders learn to read (Y 3.L 71:2 SH 6/2)
• Shining stars: second & third graders learn to read (Y 3.L 71:2 SH 6/3)

A primar for school personnel ranging from the district administrator to the bus driver; included is information about federal laws, emergency plans, etc. "Topics covered include: how to assist with medical needs, sample medical forms, and how to help students with diabetes take part in field trips and after-school activities."

"While the number of new careers is increasing, the life span of applicable knowledge is decreasing. Two-thirds of the 7-million worker gap in 2010 will be a skilled worker shortage. That’s unacceptable. Today, tomorrow and for the foreseeable future, knowledge is king, especially knowledge obtained and updated on a regular basis through a lifetime of learning and a constant upgrading of skills of our workforce. College degrees do not have the shelf life they once did. "

"Language minority parents may face a number of challenges when trying to communicate or become involved with their child's school. For instance, the inability to understand English, unfamiliarity with the school system, and differences in cultural norms concerning appropriate levels of parent-school involvement can hinder parents from communicating or being involved with their child’s school."

The Department of Justice provides this guide for developing problem-oriented methods for handling school vandalism: "...records should contain specific information on the location, type, entry method, time, suspected perpetrators, and other details essential to developing informed responses. Further, schools should report all incidents of vandalism and burglary, no matter how trivial, so that an assessment of the impact on individual schools and entire districts can be done. New technology for mapping and analyzing incidents that occur in and around schools can reveal patterns and suggest possible reasons for them."

"The Tool Kit brings together the most current and accurate information, including research briefs and resources designed to improve instruction, assessment, and accountability for students with disabilities in a format that is easy to access and to understand...The Tool Kit will be added to over time to include more information designed to support states’ efforts and to communicate the results of research."

NEW LINKS ON OUR ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY PAGE:

• National Biological Information Infrastructure Digital Library
• European Environment Agency

CRS (Congressional Research Service) Reports on Environmental Issues:

• Brownfield Issues in the 110th Congress
• Climate Change: The Kyoto Protocol and International Actions
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation in the 110th Congress
• Royalty Relief for U.S. Deepwater Oil and Gas Leases
• Wilderness Laws: Permitted and Prohibited Uses

"The Department's environmental programs and related efforts maintain, restore, and improve DoD’s natural and built infrastructure, while preserving the environment and protecting nearby communities. These programs are organized under four pillars: the Conservation program, the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, the Pollution Prevention program, and the Compliance program."

"More than two decades of research have provided a progressively improved understanding of the interaction between anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and their potential to alter the Earth's atmosphere. In the five years between the publication of the SAR in 1996 and the TAR in 2001, considerable progress was achieved in reducing the scientific uncertainty associated with the direct and indirect relationship of atmospheric responses to various external influences."

• Current State of the Science: Health Effects and Indoor Environmental Quality
• How to Design a Healthy Building
• Improving Indoor Environmental Quality For Public Health: Impediments And Policy Recommendations
• In Search of a Common European Approach to a Healthy Indoor Environment
• Linking Public Health, Housing and Indoor Environmental Policy: Successes and Challenges at Local and Federal Agencies in the U.S.
• What Do We Feed to Food Production Animals? A Review of Animal Feed Ingredients and Their Potential Impacts on Human Health

"This document reports the results of efforts to generate historical annual estimates of total timber harvest by U.S. region and ownership as part of the Forest Service's 2000 timber assessment update process . U.S. Timber harvests have increased by nearly one-third over the past 50 years."

From the EPA: "Cost-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for large-scale landscaping. Designed to help preserve natural resources and prevent waste and pollution, GreenScapes encourages companies, government agencies, and other entities to make more holistic decisions regarding their practices and purchases and their associated impacts on land, water, air, and energy use."

Books, papers, web links and more; subject areas cover anesthesia and analgesia, behavior, environmental enrichment, housing, law and legislation, nutrition and feeding, pasture, equine ranching, safety , training and transportation.

"The EPA's intent in developing this toolkit is to enable Lean practitioners to improve both their business performance and their environmental performance by identifying and eliminating environmental wastes at their organizations. The toolkit offers practical strategies and tools for integrating environmental considerations into Lean initiatives in ways that support Lean's focus on the elimination of waste and non-value added activity."

"Lichens of the National Forests in Alaska highlights 30 of the more conspicuous lichens found in the Alaska Region of the USDA Forest Service. This Region includes the Tongass National Forest; the nation’s largest at 17 million acres, and the 5-million acre Chugach National Forest."

"For model year 2006, cars are estimated to average 24.6 mpg, vans 20.6 mpg, SUVs 18.5 mpg,and pickups 17.0 mpg. The increased market share of light trucks, which in recent years have averaged more than six mpg less than cars, accounted for much of the decline in fuel economy ofthe overall new light-duty vehicle fleet from the peak that occurred in 1987-88."

" Mercury Maps shows: Where fish tissue concentrations exceed the new national methylmercury criterion; How fish tissue concentrations relate to air deposition rates; Which watersheds have air deposition as their sole significant source of mercury; Which watersheds contain potentially significant sources of mercury loads other than air deposition; and Estimates of mercury air deposition reductions needed to meet the new criterion."

"The purpose of this study is to identify cropland areas of the country that would benefit the most from the application of conservation practices...results are presented as potential losses of soil and nutrients from farm fields and the potential for soil quality degradation."

• Apache -Sitgreaves National Forests, Springerville District Trail Guide (Library location: A 13.13:AP 1/7)
• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin (I 29.6/3:AP 4/2006)
• Audubon national Wildlife Refuge: Ice Fishing (I 49.44/2:AU 2/7/2006)
• Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska (I 49.44/2:B 69)
• Comanche National Grassland, Colorado ( A 13.13:C 73/ )
• Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge: Reptiles, amphibians and fishes, New Jersey ( I 49.44/2:G 79/13/2006)
• Guide to your national forests and grasslands ( A 13.36/2:F 76/3/2006)
• J. Clark Salyer Refuge, North Dakota (I 49.44/2:SA 3/14)
• Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks (I 29.88/6:L 58)
• Mississquoi Refuge, Vermont (I 49.44/2:M 69/4/2006)
• National Historic Trails, Auto tour route interpretive guide (I 29.9/2:H 62/8)
• Parker River Refuge, Massachusetts ( I 49.44/2:P 22/2/2006)
• Pinnacles National Monument, California ( I 29.21:P 65/2006)
• Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado ( I 29.6:R 59/18)

• Presidential surprise creates world's largest marine reserve in Hawaii.
• First Federal agency requiring "greening" in hardware solicitation
• GPS the latest tool in fight against avian influenza
• First wild whooping crane chicks in Midwest in 100+ years
• Geomagnetic research
• etc.

Is wind energy a practical solution for you? This guide includes information on equipment needed, costs, location and needs analysis, amount of energy generated and more.

Recent earthquakes, notable earthquakes, historical information: USGS has kindly put them all in one place.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

al-Qaeda: the many faces of an Islamist extremist threat (Library location: Y 1.1/8:109-615)

"Some contemporary Salafists believe violence is a legitimate means of reasserting control of the world's Islamic community. Salafi Jihadists represent a small percentage of the overall Salafi population, but they are very influential and al-Qaeda’s distorted interpretation of Salafi Islam has attracted Muslims from around the world."

"The idea that the widespread and growing hostility to the United States emerges from an unfamiliarity with our country defies logic. For most of the last century, American popular culture has saturated the world to such an extent that we are routinely accused of cultural imperialism...There is more than a touch of arrogance to this common explanation. To believe that to know us is to love us is a surprisingly immature attitude for anyone to profess. It is in fact quite possible for people to know us and still dislike us. That is certainly true on an individual level, and to dismiss our detractors as merely being ignorant is a crippling self-delusion."

From the U.S. Institute of Peace: "The Initiative has organized workshops on Islamic perspectives on peace and violence, on Islam and democracy, and, most recently, on ijtihad (scriptural interpretation). This report describes Initiative-supported conferences in Nigeria and Iran to enable Muslim scholars to grapple with how faithful Muslims can respond to a range of contemporary issues. In Indonesia, a project yielded a peace-focused teaching tool based on Islamic principles."

From the U.S. Institute of Peace: "Since religion often plays a significant role in conflicts, it also needs to be one of the factors addressed in mediating conflicts. Yet, because the United States separates religion from political matters to a greater degree than many other areas of the world, Americans frequently have difficulty understanding the crucial role religion can play in conflict transformation. As this study demonstrates, military chaplains, as clergy and officers, occupy a unique space that blends a secular status and a religious one, making them well suited to serve as intermediaries between military and religious leaders in areas of conflict and postconflict stabilization."

CRS Report:"The main body of this report is a series of tables and an appendix that summarize and cite bill language that was intended to end or restrict U.S. military operations in Indochina between 1970 and 1973, in Somalia in 1993, and in Kosovo in 1999...Of 21 proposals to restrict funding for military operations that were considered by Congress, 5 were enacted."

Formerly Patterns of Global Terrorism, this annual report contains information on terrorist organizations, international cooperation in fighting terrorism, strategic assessments, and of course reports by country of terrorist activity.

• Afghan refugees: current status and future prospects
• Afghanistan: Narcotics and U.S. policy
• Iraq's Debt Relief: Procedure and Potential Implications for International Debt Relief
• Iran's influence in Iraq
• The Kurds in post-Saddam Iraq
• Latin America and the Caribbean: Issues for the 110th Congress
• Romania: background and current issues
• Trade preferences for developing countries and the WTO
• Turkmenistan’s Political Succession: Developments and Implications
• U.S. and Coalition Military Operations in Afghanistan: Issues for Congress
• U.S. Foreign Assistance to the Middle East: Historical Background, Recent Trends, and the FY2007 Request
  

From the U.S. Institute of Peace: "Without satisfactory working relationships among Washington, Tehran, and Baghdad, the future stability of the new Iraqi regime could be in doubt. Iran has immediate influence on Iraqi politics because of history and geography, as well as economic, ethnic, religious, and paramilitary ties. The extent to which Iran uses this influence to negatively affect events in Iraq will be determined in large part by the future relationship between Iran and the United States. Iranian influence in Iraq is widespread, but its impact is ambiguous."

A Strategic Studies Institute report: "Iraqi women have identified the security situation and basic services as their top priorities. Beyond these, the issues and contours of family law are explained, as the future of family law in emerging Iraq is as yet undetermined. Along with an increased political presence, legal reforms together with educational and employment opportunities have been the planks of women's changing status throughout the Middle East."

" The main objective of the Bush Administration is to secure the dismantling of North Korea's plutonium and uranium-based nuclear programs. Its strategy has been: (1) terminating the Agreed Framework; (2) withholding U.S. reciprocal measures until North Korea takes steps to dismantle its nuclear programs; (3) assembling an international coalition, through six party negotiations, to apply diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea; and (4) imposing financial sanctions on foreign banks that facilitate North Korea's illegal counterfeiting activities."

"It is a popular refrain in Washington today that Ahmadinejad has been the best thing that has happened to America. In fact, the Bush administration's diplomacy of threats and coercion is also the best thing that has happened to Ahmadinejad. He has cleverly used the nuclear issue and America’s belligerence to consolidate his powerbase, deflect attention from the domestic deficiencies of the regime and undermine his more moderate foes. The nuclear issue and its nationalistic appeals can only help the hard-liners."

From the U.S. Institute of Peace: "IDPs suffer severe humanitarian hardships, lack basic human rights, and are subject to abuse, including forced conscription and sexual violence. In addition, the chaos and instability that accompanies internal displacement is an invitation to international crime, pandemic diseases, and trafficking in persons, drugs, and weapons. Host governments that are ultimately responsible for assisting, protecting, and returning IDPs to their homes are often unable or unwilling to do so. This report proposes five steps to improve the global response to internal displacement."

"Unfortunately, entrepreneurs operating in the large informal economy, the majority of them female-headed businesses, lack access to government services. They too often are denied adequate financing from banks. Their needs for infrastructure and economic policy changes are not taken into account. Corruption makes their existence more tenuous, even, than weak economies."

(By U.S. Senator Carl Levin) "The Administration's pattern of utilizing the stronger, less supportable analyses regarding the Iraq-al Qaeda relationship was not limited to building its case before the Iraq war. It continued well after the war started. For example, it was recently discovered that Under Secretary Feith failed to make corrections requested by the CIA to a classified document on that topic which he first provided to the SSCI in October 2003...in September 2004, when Senator Levin obtained a copy of the changes the CIA originally requested, it became apparent that key changes had not been made and the pattern of misrepresenting intelligence was continuing."

"We look forward to seeing Egypt move ahead on a reform agenda that President Mubarak himself laid out last year in his Presidential campaign. Last year's Presidential election, the first ever contested multicandidate election in Egypt, was a major step forward. However, the relatively peaceful Presidential election was followed by parliamentary elections that were marred by irregularities and incidents of violence, some serious."

"It was not uncommon in the past to see foreign aid delivered in a top-down manner to corrupt governments and organizations where it could never realistically reach its intended recipients. ..Microenterprise, on the other hand, takes advantage of a very different method. It uses a trickle-up approach that focuses on helping the most impoverished people in the world build themselves up little by little into self-sufficiency by providing them with access to financial services like small loans and savings accounts.

"It would appear today that the United States is more engaged in South Asia than at any time in recent years. The region is now a focal point for major U.S. policy initiatives which run the gambit from expanded commerce, energy cooperation, defense relations, education, health, collaboration on science and technology."

"It is true that the United States imports oil from a variety of foreign sources, including Canada, Venezuela, and Mexico. However, nearly 30 percent of imported oil comes from the Middle East, and that figure is expected to greatly increase over time."

"Today's geopolitical reality underscores the importance of United States-Mexico relations. With a leftist tide sweeping over much of Latin America, championed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the United States needs to maintain the friends it has and do what it can to bolster those friendships. While we have enjoyed a great bilateral friendship with Mexico these last several years under President Fox, there are some major policy issues we need to work through."

"The State Department will testify today that, "While it remains unclear to what extent the Government of Venezuela provides material support to Colombian terrorists, it is difficult to believe that the Chavez Government is unaware of or helpless to prevent such activity." In my view, Venezuela is walking a thin line between "not cooperating fully" against terrorism and "state sponsorship" of terrorism."

Guides for cancer patiens and caretakers from the National Cancer Institute:

• Chemotherapy and you: a guide to self-help during cancer treatment (Library location: HE 20.3158:C 42/2003)
• Coping with advanced cancer (HE 20.3152:AD 9/2 X)
• Eating hints for cancer patients (HE 20.3152:EA 8/2/997)
• Facing forward series: ways you can make a difference in cancer (HE 20.3152:2004000992)
• Radiation therapy and you ( HE 20.3158:R 11/2004 X)
• Taking time: support for people with cancer and the people who care about them (HE 20.3152:T 48/2005 X)
• Thinking about complementary and alternative medicine: a guide for people with cancer. (HE 20.7252: C 73/2)
• Understanding prostate changes (HE 20.3158:P 94/2/2004 X)
• What you need to know about cancer ( HE 20.3152:C 16/13/2005 X)
• What you need to know about oral cancer (HE 20.3152:OR 1/2003 X)
• What you need to know about prostate cancer (HE 20.3152:P 94/2/2005)
• What you need to know about skin cancer (HE 20.3152:SK 3/3/2005
• When cancer returns ( HE 20.3152:M 47/2005 X)
• When someone you love has advanced cancer ( HE 20.3152:AD 9/3 X)
• When someone you love has completed cancer treatment (HE 20.3152:F 33/10 X)
• When someone you love is being treated for cancer ( HE 20.3152:T 74 X)
• When your brother or sister has cancer: a guide for teens (HE 20.3158:T 44 X)
• When your parent has cancer: a guide for teens (HE 20.3158:P 37 X)

• Helping the student with diabetes succeed: a guide for school personnel
  (Library location: HE 20.3008:2004011359)
• Keep your diabetes under control (HE 20.3326:D 54/6/2003)
• Keep your feet and skin healthy (HE 20.3326:D 54/3/2003)
• Keep your heart and blood vessels healthy (HE 20.3326:D 54/2003)
• Keep your eyes healthy (HE 20.3326:D 54/4/2003)
• Keep your kidneys healthy (HE 20.3326:D 54/5/2003)
• Keep your nervous system healthy (HE 20.3326:D 54/7/2003)
• Keep your teeth and gums healthy (HE 20.3326:D 54/2/2003)
• Medicines for people with diabetes

• Kidney failure :choosing a treatment that's right for you (HE 20.3302:F 35/4 X)
• Kidney failure glossary (HE 20.3302:F 35/5 X)
• Treatment methods for kidney failure: hemodialysis (HE 20.3302:F 35 X)
• Treatment methods for kidney failure :peritoneal dialysis (HE 20.3302:F 35/2 X)
• Treatment methods for kidney failure :transplantation (HE 20.3302:F 35/3 X)

• Business
• Childcare and preschool
• K-12 Schools
• Colleges and universities
• Medical offices and clinics
• Individuals and families

"From January 2000 through December 2004... the average monthly U&C prices for a 30-day supply of 96 prescription drugs frequently used by BCBS FEP Medicare and non- Medicare enrollees increased 24.5 percent. Twenty of the 96 drugs accounted for nearly two-thirds of the increase in the U&C price index."

"This board game is designed to help parents and young people talk to each other about underage alcohol use, why it's not smart, and how to prevent it."

Asthma prevalence rates among children remain at historically high levels following dramatic increases from 1980 until the late 1990s; Despite the plateau in asthma prevalence, ambulatory care for asthma use has continued to grow since 2000; Hospitalization rates for asthma have followed a trend similar to those in asthma prevalence rates since 1980 and also remain at historically high levels; Asthma death rates appear to have declined recently following a rising trend from 1980 through the mid 1990s.

"What happens when you don"t get enough sleep? Can you make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends? How does sleep change as you become older? Is snoring a problem? How can you tell if you have a sleep disorder? Read on to find the answers to these questions and to better understand what sleep is and why it is so necessary."

NEW LINKS ON THE HISTORY RESEARCH GUIDE

• American Women's History: a Research Guide
• Federal Newsmaps Digital Collection
• Richmond Daily Dispatch, 1860-1865
• State of the Union Addresses
• Supreme Court Argument Transcripts
• Supreme Court Timeline, Justices, Landmark Decisions
• World War Poster Collection

200 Notable days: Senate stories, 1787-2002 (Library location: Y 1.3:ST 7)

"There are stories reflecting all areas of Senate activity, from its important constitutional prerogatives -such as confirmation of presidential nominations- to historical milestones of decidedly less importance. An example of the latter occurred in 1930 as senators confronted the choice of continuing with traditional operatorassisted telephones or accepting a daunting new product of communications technology -the dial phone. From the well-known and notorious, to the unusual and even whimsical, these stories are presented to enlighten, inspire, amuse, and inform."

"Some contemporary Salafists believe violence is a legitimate means of reasserting control of the world's Islamic community. Salafi Jihadists represent a small percentage of the overall Salafi population, but they are very influential and al-Qaeda’s distorted interpretation of Salafi Islam has attracted Muslims from around the world."

This revised edition has also been expanded to two volumes, based on new materials available covering U.S. military history since the Vietnam War. Heavily illustrated, with maps.

This publication presents oral histories of the 2004 battle for the city of Fallujah in Iraq: "Eyewitness to War The US Army in Operation AL FAJR: An Oral History is a unique publication for the Combat Studies Institute. It is our fi rst publication to make exclusive use of oral history. This study is a derivative of the CSI Operational Leadership Experiences (OLE) project, a program that collects and archives first-person experiences from the Global War on Terror."

1969-76, vol. 17: China, 1969-1972 (library location: S 1.1:969-76/v.17)

"Engaging the People's Republic of China in a dialogue is perhaps the most dramatic and far reaching decision undertaken by the Nixon administration. It ended two decades of hostility and lack of formal contact between Washington and Beijing, with the exception of the fruitless ambassadorial talks at Warsaw that had been going on sporadically for 15 years. The decision to contact the leadership of the People's Republic of China through intermediaries was one of the most closely held secrets in the U.S. Government, known only to Kissinger, Nixon, and a handful of National Security Council Staff members."

1969-76, vol. 20: Southeast Asia, 1969-72 (Library location, S 1.1:969-76/v. 20)

"Despite the spirit of cooperation that existed between the U.S. and Thailand, tensions simmered under the surface. Criticism by U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee members Stuart Symington and William Fulbright over the degree of U.S. commitment to Thailand caused Thai leaders to question U.S. security assurances. Indeed, Symington's charge that Thai troops fighting in South Vietnam were, for all intents and purposes, mercenaries, caused Thai leaders to bristle openly."

"What we recommend in this report demands a tremendous amount of political will and cooperation by the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government. It demands skillful implementation. It demands unity of effort by government agencies. And its success depends on the unity of the American people in a time of political polarization."

From Seersucker Tuesday and Senate Bean Soup, to oath taking, right of priority recognition, and funerals. Who is the "father of the Senate"? Find it here.

Speeches, major statements and papers from January - June 2003; includes a subject index, name index and other useful features such as a digest of White House announcements, presidential nominations etc.

""The Rape of Nanking" raised many issues that demanded further explanation. Why were the Japanese not punished as severely as the Nazis for their crimes? Did the United States suppress evidence of the criminal responsibility of activity by the emperor to ensure a smoothly running occupation of Japan? Did the U.S. government protect Japanese medical officers in exchange for data on human experimentation?"

Little Rock, Oxford, Birmingham, Detroit, Washington, Chicago, Baltimore, Wounded Knee: the story of U.S. military involvement in forty-odd years of riots, protests and other disturbances, most notably during the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.

The research presented here covers U.S. and other nations' military assistance to operations in Vietnam, Afghanistan, India, Tanzania, Malaysia, El Salvador, Oman, Romania, and Iraq.

"The collection represents a 30-year effort to document graphically the 19th and early 20th century history of the Senate, the Capitol, and American political history. The diverse illustrations range from inauguration ceremonies and impeachment trials to senoatorial portraits and political cartoons. Represented in the Senate's graphic art collection are some of the most notable artists who worked in the printmaking medium: Augustus Kollner, Rembrandt Peale, Alexander Hay Ritchie, Thomas Nast, and Joseph Keppler."

Volumes in this series contain photographs taken by U.S. army photographers. The second edition of this work contains new prints of all photographs, updated references and improved source information.

The U.S. Center for the Study of Intelligence recently released this report, an overview of efforts to survey and reform America's intelligence apparatus: "we have tried both to clarify the perennial issues that arise in intelligence reform efforts and to determine those factors that favor or frustrate their resolution. "

• Aegean Sea Region (Turkey, Cyprus, Greece)
• Greater Jerusalem, May 2006 (incl. settlements and security barrier routes, and insert: "Plans for new Jerusalem Area Settlements")

Developing a stigma reduction initiative: event planning, partnership development, outreach to schools and businesses, mental health resources, marketing to the general public, grassroots outreach.
(Library location: HE 20.427:ST 5)

Designed to aid those wishing to work to reduce stigma and discrimination against those with mental health: "A key component of the EBI -and a major focus of this kit- is grassroots support and outreach. Each of the eight States that participated in the EBI formed partnerships, mobilized volunteers, and conducted other on-the-ground activities that generated attention from the media, paved the way for entry into school systems and businesses, and took mental health out of the shadows. Indeed, the program’s impact was deepened through the vibrant community-based initiatives conducted by groups and individuals, including local speakers' bureaus and other activities intended to foster direct contact between people with mental illnesses and the public at large."

"In the area of youth violence, it is not enough to simply examine how a program is being implemented or delivered, or to provide testimonials about the success of an intervention or program. Programs must be able to show measurable change in behavioral patterns or change in some of the mediating or moderating factors associated with aggression and violence."

"a quarterly biopsychosocial research update on HIV and mental health organized by topic area. Each issue also includes service program profiles and the newest resources (books, articles, Web sites) for clinical practice."

"Workshop participants examined research on critical issues related to the following questions:

• What early interventions can be recommended in mass violence situations?
• What should the key operating principles be?
• What are the issues of timing of early intervention?
• What is appropriate screening?
• What is appropriate follow-up, for whom, over what period of time?
• etc."

"Studies have shown that mental disorders co-occurring with substance use disorders are more chronic than mental disorders alone and that the co-occurrence between a mental disorder and a substance use disorder can create serious complications for treatment. Adults with SMI and a co-occurring substance use disorder may have a greater need for treatment than adults with a less severe mental disorder co-occurring with a substance use disorder."

NEW LINKS ON OUR SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY PAGE:

• Earthquakes, US, by state (USGS)
• Energy Citations Database (OSTI)

Alternatives for future U.S. space-launch capabilities (Library location: Y 10.2:SP 1/2)

"Although sufficient capabilities exist to meet the projected needs of both the U.S. commercial sector and the government for launching unmanned payloads into space through 2020, that is not the case for manned space flight...No launch vehicles currently exist that can handle payloads weighing more than about 25 mt. Thus, NASA's plans for manned space flight beyond low earth orbit (LEO) could require a significant increase in launch capability.2 How that capability could be provided and at what cost are the focal points of this study."

• The Chemistry of Health (Library location:HE 20.3452:C 42/2002 X)
• Genetic Basics (Library location:HE 20.3452:G 31/2001)
• Inside the cell (Library location: HE 20.3459:C 33/2005 X)
• Medicines by Design (Library location: HE 20.3452:M 46/2003)

"The publication Keys to Soil Taxonomy serves two purposes. It provides the taxonomic keys necessary for the classification of soils in a form that can be used easily in the field. It also acquaints users of the taxonomic system with recent changes in the system. This edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy incorporates all changes approved since publication of the ninth edition in 2003."

"This study presents basic facts about the pharmaceutical industry's spending on research and development and about the types and numbers of new drugs that result from it. The study also analyzes several major issues related to pharmaceutical R&D: 1. What explains the cost of developing new drugs? 2. Does federal investment in R&D stimulate or displace private investment? 3. Has the drug industry's innovative performance declined? 4.How profitable are drug firms, and how do profits affect the amount and type of R&D that companies conduct?"

Animation from NASA: "This animation portrays fluctuations in the cryosphere through observations collected from a variety of satellite-based sensors. The animation begins in Antarctica, showing ice thickness ranging from 2.7 to 4.8 kilometers thick along with swaths of polar stratospheric clouds. In a tour of this frozen continent, the animation shows some unique features of the Antarctic landscape found nowhere else on earth. Ice shelves, ice streams, glaciers, and the formation of massive icebergs can be seen..."

Work experience of the population in 2005

This handy annual overview from the Department of Labor includes statistics on employment such as hours worked, by sex, race and ethnicity; and by extent of employment.

Americans with disabilities act: sixteen years later. (Library location: Y 4.J 89/1:109-146)

"Most importantly, societal attitudes relating to the educational and employment abilities of disabled Americans have changed as a result of the ADA. These increased opportunities have enabled disabled Americans to experience higher graduattion rates, higher employment rates and lower rates of poverty."

• Foreign students in the United States: policies and legislation
• Salaries of members of Congress: a list of payable rates and effective dates, 1789-2006
• "Sensitive but unclassified" information and other controls : policy and options for scientific and technical information

"As noted in the Congressional Research Service, the Supreme Court decisions leave many questions unanswered for lower courts: the definition of the term "enemy combatant," the scope of legal procedures due persons designated as such. Would habeas corpus be foreclosed if a detainee is convicted by a military commission? Would a detainee have access to United States courts where held abroad by the United States military in locations where the United States does not exercise full jurisdiction and control?"

"The issue of making English the official language of the United States has long been controversial. The last time this committee and the Congress discussed the issue by itself was in the 104th Congress. Now, due to the steady growth of new immigrant populations within U.S. borders whose primary language is other than English, the discussion and the issues of language diversity has once again brought attention to the public policy debate. Further, as you may be aware, the Senate recently revived this issue by including two amendments declaring English as both the national and common and unifying language of the United States as part of its immigration bill."

"Rather th