• Editorial
  By William Hann and Robin Neidorf
  
  
• My Favourite Tipples
  By Alastair Allan
  
  
• FreePint Bar
  
  
• Jinfo :: Jobs in Information
  
  • Head of Records
  • Knowledge Manager
  • Knowledge Manager
  • Information Specialists (2)
    
    
• FUMSI Features
  
  
• Recently in VIP
  
  
• Highlights from ResourceShelf and DocuTicker
  
  
• Events, Gold and Forthcoming Articles
  
  
• Contact Information
  
  

By Alastair Allan

These tipples are the ones that I give to my students as key information sources for US government information. All put ease of use for the non-skilled user as a priority and each one is a different example of good design and navigation. The FedStats site has been largely unchanged for eight years.

All provide access to US government or world information. I just wish the UK could produce a single site that is as good as any one of these ...

• FedStats provides information for Federal agencies that are listed in Statistical Programmes of the United States Government. The archive goes back to 1997 and there is a full topic and agency index. For each subject entry, the site provides a linked list of the key statistics for each agency.
  
  
• Library of Congress, Portals to the World. A simple and elegant site. Each link opens a country page where more links pages under each topic are given. Brief and sensible annotations are provided. These pages link you to the best web pages available for every and any country.
  
  
• GovEngine, Inc. is a 'non-profit organization dedicated to promoting e-Government initiatives and interconnectivity between the federal, state and local levels of government with the citizens' of the USA. The navigation is through maps which increase the ease of usage. You can find federal, state, local and court government information. Each sub-page provides an extensive list of links.
  
  
• University of Michigan Library Documents Center, Documents in the News. The Documents Center pages are 'a central reference and referral point for government information, whether local, state, federal, foreign or international'. The Documents in the News pages are the first port for me because I can find a British government report faster here than through using UK government sites. All major US university libraries produce pages like this. This one I judge to be the best.
  
  
• The GODORT links. The links to all important government websites in the world have been assembled by the library profession's Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) and is hosted by Northwestern University. There are about 3,000 links in the Federal Documents and International documents resources sections. There are no annotations, though - just links.
  
  

Alastair Allan works at the University of Sheffield. He is a Liaison Librarian in the University Library and a Senior University Teacher in the Department of Information Studies.He is Chair of the CILIP Standing Committee on Official Publications (SCOOP).

Back to top ^

By Monique Cuvelier

<http://www.freepint.com/bar>

The FreePint Bar is generously sponsored by Dow Jones Factiva

Music, a popular topic, and the worthiness of a pricey FT subscription are hot topics at the FreePint Bar <http://freepint.com/bar/>. Summaries below; full conversations are online.

• Templates are a recurring theme in the FreePint Bar, from business plans to beyond. This time, a poster is looking for a copy of the Standard Conditions of Sale (4th Edition) <http://www.freepint.com/go/b274963>. If you have a copy or know where to find one, post it for the community.
  
  
• The Financial Times through Factiva may be pricey, but is it worth it? Share your comments on value at the Bar <http://www.freepint.com/go/b276530>. VIP <http://www.vivavip.com> is always a great place to find reviews of products like this.
  
  
• The electronic group The Prodigy was a driving force in the mid-1990s music scene, but they're not so high in the charts now. Who would remember who toured with them in 2005? Somebody, hopefully ... <http://www.freepint.com/go/b276664>.
  
  
• An active discussion that was featured in the Bar Summary this February has picked up new life lately <http://www.freepint.com/go/b256664>. Someone was looking for help preventing Windows XP machines from shutting down. This time, someone is wondering how they can use the same terminal as someone else without knowing their password. Is there a way to turn off the logoff function?
  
  
• An old friend of the Student Bar has returned with some LIS learning under his belt and some questions about alternative careers. Read some interesting ideas and offer yours <http://www.freepint.com/go/s41312>.
  
  
• Both the February and March issues of VIP have covered Financial Times issues in some depth and our editors have contributed extensive commentary on this subject. Order your copy today (GBP 54) or start your subscription now: <http://www.vivavip.com/order/>

Sign up for the twice-weekly Bar Digest at <http://www.freepint.com/subs/>.

Monique Cuvelier has been the editor of the FreePint Newsletter and now serves as the contributing editor for FUMSI's Share practice area. She has edited, launched and written for many magazines, newspapers and websites in the US and UK. Learn more about her at <http://www.onopoly.com/support/team/>.

The FreePint Bar is where you can get free help with your tricky research questions <http://www.freepint.com/bar>

Help with study for information-related courses is available at the FreePint Student Bar <http://www.freepint.com/student>.

Subscribe to the twice-weekly email digests at <http://www.freepint.com/subs/>.

Back to top ^

FUMSI publishes articles, tools, and a monthly magazine, to give you practical help with information skills. Visit http://www.fumsi.com/

However you Find, Use, Manage or Share Information, you'll find something in FUMSI to help.

We add new articles to the FUMSI database in each practice area every month. Here are the most recent additions:

"Legal Research: Turning It into Competitive Advantage"
FUMSI: Use

Legal research has expanded well beyond its traditional boundaries of case and precedent research. Donna Fryer highlights the way in which legal research, professionally applied, can help enhance competitiveness of the law firm and its client base.

WHAT'S INSIDE: Savvy law firms are not only using research to find the legal authority to win cases, they are also using it to monitor events inside and outside of their industry by using multiple resources and technology to help compete in a shrinking world.

Read, print, save or forward this article now »

"Exposing the secret state"
FUMSI: Use

Media librarians face special challenges - working hand in hand with journalists to uncover hidden information in a fast-moving environment, all the while adding not just value but 'values'. Author Tim Buckley Owen discusses the upcoming Association of UK Media Librarians (AUKML) conference, where he is keynote speaker.

WHAT'S INSIDE: 'The media information professionals who deal in public domain information have to work in partnership with the journalists who hunt down the stuff that's not yet public knowledge, the stuff that someone probably doesn't want published. Everyone working in media has to earn their keep; there's no room for passengers.'

Read, print, save or forward this article now »

The FUMSI Magazine has been published!
Check out the features:

• Commentary by our four contributing editors
  
  
• FUMSI Focus -- hand-picked selections of web-based resources to help you with your work
  
  
• The latest feature articles in each practice area, plus jobs and events by practice area

Download now »

Back to top ^

The Jinfo service enables you to search and advertise information- related job vacancies.

The Jinfo Newsletter now features CV Makeovers, in which a job seeker's CV is critiqued and revised by specialists in the field as well as career tips for all experience levels. Read the latest edition and subscribe free at <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/>.

Jinfo Jobs in the FreePint Newsletter are supported through our partnership with Quantum², an innovative skills development programme offered by Thomson Scientific. Learn more at <http://scientific.thomson.com/quantum2/>

Here is a selection of the latest featured entries in the Jinfo database:

• Head of Records
  Exciting head of records role for those of you in the Midlands, reviewing policies and investigating an EDRM implementation.
  Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited
  Country: United Kingdom
  <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8720>
  
  
• Knowledge Manager
  The post will be the catalyst for the development of a knowledge culture throughout this organisation.
  Recruiter: Weekes Gray Recruitment
  Country: United Kingdom
  <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8819>
  
  
• Knowledge Manager
  You'll have experience of developing & managing knowledge repositories & working with both internal & external stakeholder's.
  Recruiter: TFPL
  Country: United Kingdom
  <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8848>
  
  
• Information Specialists (2)
  Business Researchers (2) - new jobs at junior level for busy Central London Consultancy. Must be bright, well spoken, with research skills.
  Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
  Country: United Kingdom
  <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8871>
  
  

[The above jobs are paid listings]

NB: These are just a selection of information-related jobs in the Jinfo database <http://www.jinfo.com/>. Receive the latest job listings weekly with the free Jinfo Update. Free to subscribe at <http://www.jinfo.com/>

Subscribe to the free Weekly update of the latest jobs, plus the monthly newsletter with career tips:

<http://www.jinfo.com/subs/>

Jinfo -- the best place for information-related job vacancies.

• JOB SEARCHING?
  -- Free search and sign up to the Jinfo Newsletter
  
  
• RECRUITING?
  -- Complete the form and advertise a vacancy for just GBP195 <http://www.jinfo.com/recruit/>
  -- 10% discount for agencies
  -- 50% discount for registered charities

Find out more today at <http://www.jinfo.com/>

Back to top ^

VIP publishes in-depth, unbiased reviews of business information products. If you purchase or use premium information resources, make VIP part of your professional reading every month.

VIP issue no. 52 includes:

• The FT is taking advantage of the popularity of social networking sites by launching a series of its own fee-based forums
• VIP looks in-depth at two leading market research products - 'Market.research.com' and ' Research and Markets'

Purchase this issue from the VIP website, or start your subscription now: <http://web.vivavip.com/go/vip/>

NEW: Now publishing the VIP LiveWire Commentary on the industry, by the VIP editorial team. Get their insight on trends, products, user needs and more.

Recent posts:

• <http://www.vivavip.com/go/w46208> DS next-generation user experience provides public libraries with social networking services for the first time
• <http://www.vivavip.com/go/w48032> Innovative website specifically for the blind and vision impaired community

Request a sample issue of VIP, or start a trial subscription today for only GBP 70 for three months. Trial offer is not available through the Web site; email <support@vivaVIP.com> for details.

Back to top ^

Every week, the editors of ResourceShelf explore a Resource of the Week. Get them for free every week via email by subscribing to the ResourceShelf Newsletter.

Here are the new URLs for our RSS feeds. We offer feeds for both ResourceShelf and DocuTicker. Make sure to check your aggregator to see if these are the URLs you're using to receive the latest from both sites. Thanks!

• ResourceShelf »
• DocuTicker »

Recently published:

Counties - Downloadable data files have been created to accompany the web-based USA Counties. Now users can download directly more than 5,900 data items from the Web site for the United States, the 50 states and the District of Columbia and all 3,141 counties and county equivalents.

Information in USA Counties covers topics such as age; agriculture; ancestry; banking; building permits; business patterns; crime; earnings; education; employment; government; income; labour force etc.

Full posting with live links: http://digbig.com/4wrae

DocuTicker publishes citations of full-text, free reports available on the web. Visit daily for new postings, or subscribe to the weekly DocuTicker Newsletter.

Highlights:

• Government Interventions in Financial Markets: Economic and Historic Analysis of Subprime Mortgage Options
  
  
• eJournal USA: The Greening of U.S. Corporations
  
  
• How consumer conversation will transform business

Back to top ^

It is free to search and advertise information-related gatherings in FreePint Events <http://www.freepint.com/events/>.

Premium listings

These events are hosted by our partner organisations and/or advertisers:

• "The Library + information Show"
  23 - 24 April 2008
  
  Now in its 19th year, the Library + information Show (LiS) is the event where the library and information community comes together.
  
  Now the challenge is to evaluate technologies in light of their actual benefits to your organisation. And Internet Librarian International does just that.
  OrganizerInformation Today Ltd.
  Location: Birmingham
  <http://www.freepint.com/go/e1228>
  
  
• "Search Engine Meeting"
  28 - 29 April 2008
  
  This annual meeting, now in its 13th year, provides a forum and point- of-reference for all those interested in the domain of Search and Retrieval. The Meeting draws together those with a professional interest in search engines - such as search engine designers and developers - and those interested in applying search engines in their own professional environments. Search is at the heart of information retrieval; and the Search Engine Meeting provides an annual point of reference as to what is happening in this fast-moving and exciting field.
  
  Organised by infonortics
  Location: Boston, MA, USA
  <http://www.freepint.com/go/e989>
  
  
• "Managing Up: Partnering with Stakeholders to Achieve Result"
  15th May 2008
  
  *Webinar*
  This workshop focuses on techniques for building the credibility and relationships necessary to inspire productive change. It offers tips on communicating effectively with anyone who might affect the success of your work projects, by identifying and working with specific influencing or relationship building tactics and styles. In short, we look at how we "manage up" to achieve the results that we want for our service.
  
  Organised by:Thomson Scientific
  Location:London
  Country:United Kingdom
  <http://www.freepint.com/go/e1017>
  
  

Free listings

United Kingdom:

• "RMS Conference 2008 - Records Management: The State of the Art"
  20 - 22 April 2008
  <http://www.freepint.com/go/e1030>
  
  

United States:

• "3rd International Conference on Information Warfare and Security"
  24 - 25 April 2008
  <http://www.freepint.com/go/e985>
  
  
• "ICI-1 - Competitive Intelligence Basics Workshop"
  19 - 20 May 2008
  <http://www.freepint.com/go/e1001>
  
  

Australia and Territories:

• "Power Searching with the Pros"
  13 - 20 May 2008
  <http://www.freepint.com/go/e1226>
  
  

*** Submit your event for free promotion ***
New upgrade option for enhanced listing coverage

<http://www.freepint.com/events/>

Back to top ^

A look back at what FreePint covered at this time in previous years:

• FreePint No. 227, 5th April 2007. "Distance Learning, ifs KnowledgeBank and Usability" and "EThOS: A New Start for Doctoral Theses in the UK" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/050407.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 204, 13th April 2006. "Thriving on change: The right stuff for resilience in an information career" and "European Unions: what you need to know about international mergers and acquisitions" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/130406.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 180, 7th April 2005. "Quality assuring health information resources" and "Trends in business information, provision and use" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/070405.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 158, 15th April 2004. "Searching for success: an update on search engine developments" and "Time Management" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/150404.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 135, 17th April 2003. "Radio on the Internet" and "Scenario Planning" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/170403.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 110, 18st April 2002. "A World of Resources Awaits You in China" and "Customer Satisfaction - do you know what they think of your information service?" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/180402.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 85, 12th April 2001. "Getting Connected in a Rural Area" and "Streaming Media and Broadband Sites" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/120401.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 60, 13th April 2000. "Wedding Sources on the Web" and "Knowledge Management" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/130400.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 36, 15th April 1999. "Cataloging the Internet: The Dublin Core" and "Idiots' guide to chemistry information resources on the Web" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/150499.htm>
  
  
• FreePint No. 10, 19th April 1998. "Working the Net" and "Business and Accounting Resources on the Web" < http://www.freepint.com/issues/190498.htm>
  
  

Back to top ^

FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
[Provisional]

• Finding Government Information
• Using information effectively for a developing business
• Identity theft
• How to become an environmentally friendly organisation
• Due diligence research

If you have a suggestion for an article topic, or would like to write, then please contact FreePint's Editor Sara Waddington at sara.waddington@freepint.com or read the notes for authors at <http://www.onopoly.com/author/>

Back to top ^

Address:

Free Pint Limited 4-6 Station Approach Ashford, Middlesex TW15 2QN, United Kingdom

Telephone:

UK: 0870 141 7474 Int: +44 870 141 7474

Directions and maps: <http://www.freepint.com/contact.htm>

Contributors to this issue:

Tim Buckley Owen, Donna Fryer, Sara Waddington (Senior Managing Editor, FUMSI), Monique Cuvelier (Contributing Editor: Share), Robin Neidorf (General Manager, FreePint), Shirl Kennedy (Senior Editor, ResourceShelf and DocuTicker), William Hann (Managing Editor, FreePint), Penny Hann (Production Editor, FreePint), Douglas Brown (Proofreader).

Advertisers/Sponsors:

Dowjones Factiva, Thomson Scientific, Weekes Gray Recruitment, Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited, Glen Recruitment, TFPL, VIP, ResourceShelf, DocuTicker, Jinfo.

• Web <http://www.freepint.com>
  
  
• Authors <http://www.onopoly.com/author/>
  
  
• Advertising <http://www.Onopoly.com/>
  
  
• Subscriptions, Letters & Comments <support@freepint.com>
  
  
• FreePint Suggestion Box <http://www.freepint.com/suggestionbox.htm>
  
  

(c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2008 <http://www.freepint.com/>
Technology by Willco <http://www.Willco.com/>

To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your subscriptions or password, visit <http://www.freepint.com/subs/> or email <support@freepint.com>. For details about contributing, advertising or to see past issues, please visit the Web site at <http://www.freepint.com/>.

Please note: FreePint (ISSN 1460-7239) is a registered trademark of, and published by, Free Pint Limited. The publishers will NEVER make the subscriber list available to any other company or organisation.

The opinions, advice, products and services offered herein are the sole responsibility of the contributors. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the publication, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.

This publication may be freely copied and/or distributed in its entirety. However, individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or distributed without the prior written agreement of the publishers. Write to Robin Neidorf, Managing Editor, <robin.neidorf@freepint.com> for more details. Product names used in FreePint are for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners. FreePint disclaims any and all rights in those marks. All rights reserved.

FreePint is published by Free Pint Limited, registered in England and Wales. Registered Number: 3754418. Registered Office: Delaport Coach House, Lamer Lane, Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8RQ

Back to top ^