Alabama Library Association Government Documents Roundtable March 2018 Volume 1, Issue 2
GODORT Connection 2018 Conference Edition
An Exciting Year... I have to start our newest edition of the GODORT Connection with a deep and sincere, “Thank you.” Our first issue was received very well and we are still beaming over the positive feedback we received. You can access our previous issue by visiting www.issuu.com. In this, our Conference Edition, we are sharing with you the great things we are doing at the upcoming 2018 Conference in Florence, Alabama. Let’s start with the ALLA/GODORT Sponsored speaker, Karen Utz. She is a Curator and Historian of Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, AL. As a part of the Alabama Department of Humanities Foundation Speaker’s Bureau, she is going to talk to us about the role of convict labor in the development of Birmingham. We will have a second presentation about one of the unique ways we promote Government Documents at the University of South Alabama titled, “Look at Me! Utilizing Pop Culture Icons to Showcase the Government Documents Collection.” Looking forward to seeing everyone! Sincerely, Paula L. Webb
Inside this issue ALLA GODORT Steering Committee ……………..…….2 ALLA GODORT’s Must Do’s………………………………….3 Net Neutrality and Government Documents……...4 Government Websites for the Genealogist..……….5 Member Information ………………...……………………...6
Officers
Paula L. Webb, GODORT Moderator 2017 - 2018 Paula Lenor Webb, Government Documents Reference and Outreach Librarian at University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, obtained her MLIS from the University of Alabama. Paula is a member of the Southeastern Library Association and Alabama Library Association. She has appeared in College & Research Libraries News, College & Undergraduate Libraries, Computers in
Libraries, DttP, Mississippi Libraries and Serials Librarian. Paula received the 2011 Mover and Shaker Award and the 2012 ALLA CUS Research Award. In 2016, she edited the Mobile Genealogical Society publication, Mobile Mayor’s Court Reports: 1865 and authored the History Press publication, Mobile Under Siege: Surviving the Union Blockade.
Tim Dodge, GODORT Moderator—Elect 2017 - 2018 He has been employed at Auburn University Libraries since 1992 starting out as a government documents reference librarian. Since 2000 he has been serving as History and since 2008 as Political Science Subject Specialist in the Reference Department at Auburn. Tim held previous positions as a special collections librarian and archivist, serials librarian, and reference librarian at the University of New Hampshire (twice) and at Barry University (Miami, Fla.). Tim has held numerous offices in the Alabama Library Association including President (2004-2005)
and Moderator-Elect and Moderator of GODORT in 1994-1996. He has also held numerous offices in the Alabama Association of College and Research Libraries including President (20002001 and 2008-2009), and is currently President-Elect of the Southeastern Library Association. Under the name Dr. Hepcat, Tim Dodge has hosted the Golden Oldies radio show on WEGL – Auburn FM 91.1 since May 1998. His radio career extends back to 1975, and Tim is the author of The School of Arizona Dranes: Gospel Music Pioneer (Lexington Books, 2013).
Dr. Stephanie Rollins, GODORT Secretary 2017— 2018 Dr. Stephanie Rollins is the Chief of Information Services at Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center (MSFRIC). She is also an adjunct Digital Reference and Collection Development professor for the University of Alabama. Stephanie serves on both regional and state library
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committees, and she has 22 years of experience in academic and special libraries. She holds a BA in English from Auburn University, a Master’s Degree in Library Service and a Doctorate in Public Administration (both from the University of Alabama).
ALLA GODORT “Must Do’s” at the 2018 Conference 1. Attend the ALLA GODORT sponsored presentation, The Role of Convict Labor in the Industrial Development of Birmingham by Kar en Utz. Wednesday, Apr il 11th, 2:00—2:50 pm. 2. Look at Me! Utilizing Pop Culture Icons to Showcase the Government Documents Collections by Paula L. Webb. Wednesday, April 11th, 10:30—11:20am. 3. A Search for My People by Eialesha Mar tin. Wednesday, April 11th, 3:00—3:50pm 4. Wearing All the Hats in an Academic Library: Surviving with a Staffing Shortage by Phillip Bur gess and J ulie Kennedy. Thursday, April 12th, 8:00—8:50 am. 5. What’s Next Alabama by Cr istin Br awner and Tina Nolen. Thursday, April 12th, 10:00–10:50 am. 6. Beyond the MLS: Reflections on the Role of Professional and Continued Education for Academic Library Liaisons by Lance Day and Jaro Szurek. Thursday, April 12th, 10:00— 10:50am.
7. Leadership Roles in ALLA by Yingqi Tang. Thur sday, Apr il 12th, 11:00—11:50 am. 8. Copyright for Libraries by Tim Lewis. Wednesday, Apr il 11th, 11:30—12:20 pm. 9. Advocacy for Libraries—Getting the Ear of Those Who Make Change by Nancy Pack. Wednesday, Apr il 11th, 2:00—2:50 pm.
Would you be interested in an ALLA GODORT Group Gathering? We are always trying to develop news ways our ALLA GODORT Members can connect. Would you be interested in our own little get together? If so, please contact us before the conference at: Paula Webb—pwebb@southalabama.edu Tim Dodge—dodgeti@auburn.edu Stephanie Rollins—drstephanierollins@gmail.com Let us know a good date and time for you and we will work on the arrangements.
Who is Karen Utz? Karen R. Utz is the Curator and Historian of Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, Alabama. She recently retired from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she taught courses in Southern Industry, Twentieth Century American History, and African American Studies. Utz is a contributor to Work, Family, Faith: Women of the Twentieth Century South, Man Food; Recipes from the Iron Trade, and Iron & Steel: A Guide to Birmingham Area Industrial Heritage Sites. She has served on various committees including the Southeastern Museum Conference, Society for the History of Technology, and the American Association of Museums.
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Net Neutrality and Government Documents By Tim Dodge, Auburn University Want to know more? Additional Federal Government Information on Net Neutrality: 1.
American Library Association: Net Neutrality— http:// www.ala.org/advocacy/ telecom/netneutrality
2.
Communications Act of 1934— https://legcounsel.house.gov/ Comps/Communications%
20Act%20Of%201934.pdf 3.
Telecommunications Act of 1996— https://www.gpo.gov/ fdsys/pkg/PLAW-104publ104/ pdf/PLAW-104publ104.pdf
4.
Open Internet Order of 2015— https://apps.fcc.gov/ edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC -15-24A1.pdf
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Restoring Internet Freedom Order— https://www.fcc.gov/ document/fcc-releases-
restoring-internet-freedomorder 6.
Save Net Neutrality, 163 Cong. Rec. H10406—https:// www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/ CREC-2017-12-21/pdf/CREC2017-12-21-pt1-PgH104065.pdf
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What is “Net Neutrality” and how does it relate to the world of government documents? Simply put, it is keeping the Internet as free and open as possible so that people using it can get access to everything from unbiased research to employment information without having search results become skewed by Internet Service Providers (ISP). This issue has recently come to the fore and has implications for our society as we all become more dependent on the Internet for research, government information, and other aspects of our lives. Starting in the late 1990s Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and more conservative or business-oriented members of Congress have begun to chafe at what they perceive as too much regulation. While there is nothing inherently wrong with companies wanting to make a profit, the problem lies in the possibility that ISPs may, to boost revenue even higher, favor certain Internet-based businesses or services or web site owners over others because those entities are willing and/or able to pay ISPs more money. It does not take much imagination to realize that this can negatively have an impact on search results for everyone ranging from scholars to small businesses to the general public. There was a growing recognition some sort of regulatory control was needed to assure what we now call “Net Neutrality.” F.C.C. Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the first Open Internet Order in 2010. This Order included the following rules to be followed by ISPs: a) transparency of operations; b) no blocking of content which meant that fixed line broadband providers were not allowed to block lawful Internet content, applications, or services while mobile (wireless) broadband providers were not allowed to block “lawful websites or applications that compete with voice or video telephony services;” and c) no unreasonable discrimination in the transmission of lawful network traffic. Chairman Tom Wheeler announced the F.C.C. Open Internet Order of 2015. It prohibited ISPs such as AT&T, Verizon, or Comcast from blocking, censoring, or discriminating against any online content. Unfortunately, the cause of Net Neutrality experienced some setbacks in 2017. On May 23 F.C.C. Chairman Ajit Pai an-
nounced plans to abolish the Open Internet Order of 2015. It is worthwhile noting that Mr. Pai had previously served as Associate General Counsel at Verizon Communications. His rationale for abolishing this Order was that by doing so it would “restore the Internet to a light-touch regulatory framework by classifying broadband Internet access service as an information service.” A benign interpretation suggests Mr. Pai and others see regulations on ISPs as constraining and unnecessary. A perhaps more realistic interpretation would point out that such a new rulemaking by the F.C.C. would undo the protections of Net Neutrality since ISPs would now have the freedom to direct or block Internet traffic as they wished for their own commercial reasons. Internet users would no longer have truly equitable access to information available through the Internet. On November 20 Ajit Pai announced a forthcoming vote by the F.C.C. commissioners to vote on December 14 on what he termed the Restoring Internet Freedom Order. The vote took place as scheduled on December 14 with the three Republican commissioners voting in favor and the two Democratic commissioners voting against. Thus, the F.C.C. Open Internet Order of 2015 was abolished. It is likely that just as the ISPs and the telecommunications industry fought back against the Open Internet Orders of 2010 and 2015 with court cases and attempted federal legislation, supporters of Net Neutrality may do the same in response to the December 14 F.C.C. ruling. Statements of opposition have already been made by groups such as the American Library Association and the Association of Research Libraries (see the December 14, 2017 issue of LJ Academic Newswire, for example). The full effects of the December 14 ruling have yet to be felt and supporters of Net Neutrality have yet to fully mobilize in response. Net Neutrality is likely to remain an important concern in 2018 and beyond. The world of government documents will continue to be a major source of information as the Federal Communications Commission, the federal court system, and Congress produce publicly available communications in response to further developments in the ongoing debate concerning Net Neutrality.
Government Websites for the Genealogist By Mary Beth Newbill, Birmingham Public Library As a librarian who works with both genealogy and government documents, I love finding ways to bring these two areas together. Government documents provide a wealth of information for family historians and as more records are becoming available online they are more accessible than ever before. Luckily, not all records with genealogical value are found on subscription sites such as Ancestry.com and Fold3.com. There are many government websites for genealogical research that are easy to use and free of charge. Each time our ancestors joined the military, received a pension, or were issued a patent they interacted with the government and created a paper trail for us to follow. Keep reading to learn about a few of my favorite sites that I love sharing with patrons. If you're researching a Civil War ancestor and don't have access to Fold3.com or the roster of Confederate or Union soldiers, don't forget about the Soldiers and Sailors Database from the National Park Service. This quick and easy to use website found at https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and -sailors-database.htm, includes a record of every soldier and sailor who served in either the Union or the Confederate army. You won't see the entire service record, but you will learn the soldier's full name, side, unit, and company. Additional information includes regimental histories, battle histories, and more. While the Soldiers and Sailors website also contains a database of soldiers buried in our National Cemeteries, it is still a work in progress. However, the National Gravesite Locator from the Department of Veterans Affairs lets you search for those buried in, "VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker" (National Cemetery Administration). Found at https:// gravelocator.cem.va.gov/, the National Gravesite Locator is easy to use and is updated every day. If you've ever had an idea for an invention and wondered if it's already been done, then you're familiar with the process of researching a patent. What most people
might not realize is that historical patents can be mined for genealogical information. Since patents typically list the inventor's hometown, they can tell you where your ancestor was living at the time he or she received their patent. If they received multiple patents and moved around, you might be able to track their movements through their patents. Patents can also indicate citizenship in other countries. Inventors all over the world filed for U.S. patents, so even if your ancestor lived in another country you might still find them listed on a patent. Since we're not doing the type of patent search (also called a prior art search) necessary in order to apply for a patent of our own, we can take a few shortcuts. Patents can be searched on the USPTO's site (uspto.gov) but the easiest method is to use Google Patents. It's just like searching in Google except you're searching their database of U.S. patents. It's a friendly, familiar interface and you can search by keyword, name, date, location, etc. Anyone researching land records is probably familiar with the Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office site (https://glorecords.blm.gov/default.aspx). In addition to containing the federal land patents (documents showing the original transfer of land from the federal government to an individual), the site also contains bounty land warrants. Offered to soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Indian Wars bounty land was used as an incentive or a reward for military service. Locating an ancestor's warrant for bounty land could give you vital clues to their whereabouts at a particular time, answer questions about military service, or solve a mystery about why they settled where they did. A search for one of my ancestors surprised me by revealing a bounty land warrant for previously unsuspected military service. This took my research into a completely new direction. There are many more government websites that can be useful for genealogists, but these are a few of my favorites. While these sites may be familiar to librarians, I hope I have sparked additional interest or helped you to look at an old site in a new way.
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Alabama Library Association GODORT Provides a forum for librarians working with government documents. Objectives also include the promotion of availability, use and bibliographic control of documents; and the promotion of communication between documents librarians and other librarians. GODORT is an affiliate of the Amer-
ican Library Association. Membership is open to any member of the Association who subscribes to the objectives of the roundtable.
Submit Your Work Do you have an interesting experience with local, state or federal government information? Write up an article and share it with us! You can send it to: Paula Webb: pwebb@southalabama.edu Tim Dodge: dodgeti@auburn.edu
Members, Events and Happenings... Alabama Library Association Annual Convention—Theme, “Play by Ear.” Florence, Alabama, April 10—13, 2018 https://alla.memberclicks.net/annual-convention American Library Association Conference & Exhibition– New Orleans, Louisiana. June 21—26, 2018 http://2018.alaannual.org/registration/register-now Dodge, Tim—Speaker, Patience of Essah Africana Studies Lecture Series, “African American Covers of Country Records BEFORE Ray Charles: Prevalence and Significance.” Auburn University. 01/16/2018 Hutto, Barbara—Display, “African Americans at War,” Birmingham Public Library, November 2017 Hutto, Barbara—Display, “Veterans Day,” Birmingham Public Library, November 2017 National Library Legislative Day—Washington, D.C., May 7-8, 2018 http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/nlld Newbill, Mary Beth– Speaker, “Using Government Websites for Genealogy Research.” Birmingham Public Library. 01/22/2018 Rollins, Stephanie—Speaker, “E for EVERYONE: Ensuring Your e-Resources are Accessible to All, Part 1,” 10/24/2017 Rollins, Stephanie– Speaker, “E for EVERYONE: Ensuring Your e-Resources are Accessible to All, Part 2,” 11/21/2017 Rollins, Stephanie– Speaker, “Librarians: Saving the World from Fake News,” 12/12/2017 Rollins, Stephanie– Speaker, “Collection Development: Marketing,” 01/09/2018 Rollins, Stephanie– Speaker, “DigiRef: NEWS.” 01/23/2018 Rollins, Stephanie– Speaker, “DigiRef: Serving Veterans,” 02/20/2018 Rollins, Stephanie– Speaker, “DigiRef: Statistics—How do I Measure X?” 02/27/2018 Webb, Paula - Speaker, “Government Information Researching Basics.” Mobile Public Library. 02.07/2018 Webb, Paula —Keynote Speaker with Mary Duffy, “AACRL Professional Growth in Academic Librarianship” Conference. 02/27/2018 Webb, Paula —Speaker with Rachel Fenske, “Vision and Hearing Loss How it Impacts Socialization,” Poarch Creek, Atmore, AL. 03/01/2018