National GIS Day

November 13, 2018

Wednesday, November 14 is National Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day. The annual event celebrating technology and all of the benefits it has brought to the world of geography has been recognized since 1999.

GIS is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data. However, GIS can refer to a number of different technologies, processes, and methods.

This year’s theme is Discover the World through GIS, with a focus on demonstrating the real-world GIS applications that are making a difference in our society. GISday.com has several story maps available that allow users to experience the changes our world has undergone through the use of mapping. One in particular, 100 Years of the National Park Service, takes you on a chronological journey of the significant events in the establishment and growth of America’s unparalleled system of public parks.

The US Government Publishing Office (GPO) has a long history of working with Federal depository libraries to provide Government information, including maps and GIS data. On govinfo, GPO offers a snapshot of the Federal Register Volume 75, Issue 173, where the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of a final GIS tool and its user guide titled, “ICLUS v1.3 User’s Manual: ArcGIS Tools and Datasets for Modeling U.S. Housing Density Growth.”

GPO also offers access to several items that can help you celebrate this unique day, as the Government Bookstore offers several titles about this topic. Some of those include:

  • Washington: The Nation’s Capital  – This handy pamphlet provides a color map of Washington, DC with all the major landmarks, memorials, monuments, and tourist attractions clearly marked, and folds up to fit easily in a pocket or purse.  It also features a timeline of important events with information about key historical sites on the other side, including the newest attractions, such as the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.  Sold in packages of 100 copies only.
  • Rocky Mountain National Park (Map) – Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments. Enjoy Trail Ridge Road – which crests at over 12,000 feet including many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds – along with over 300 miles of hiking trails, wildflowers, wildlife, starry nights, and fun times. The Rocky Mountain National Park map is a 1:50 000-scale topographic map.
  • National Park Service Centennial 1916-2016 (Map and Guide) – The National Park Service celebrated 100 years on August 5, 2016. This map shows locations of historic parks in celebration of the centennial for tourists to use as a guide.

GPO’s commitment to Keeping America Informed will continue to strive to provide access to Government information on all issues that affect the public in all aspects of their life.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Scott Pauley is a former Writer and Editor in GPO’s Library Services and Content Management office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

DOT Keeps on Truckin’

October 13, 2016

dot-headquartersTransportation infrastructure is quite literally the foundation of our country. Interstate highway trucks, freight trains, and aircraft get people and products where they need to go. Across bridges, along rail lines, and through ocean lanes, transport is an essential part of life.

It’s so essential that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is charged with “ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future.”

This year DOT celebrates its 50th anniversary. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Department of Transportation Act on October 15, 1966. It brought 31 Federal entities together to form the fourth largest Federal agency.

GPO employees printed the original legislation and now it’s available digitally on govinfo. In addition, GPO makes available several DOT publications.

FAA Safety Briefing

750-002-00209-1The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) mission is “Keep America Moving”. This magazine provides updates on movements in FAA rulemaking and policy. It also includes information on flight rules, airworthiness maintenance, avionics, and accident analysis. This is an indispensable resource for pilots, air traffic controllers, airplane maintenance personnel and anyone involved in flight safety.

Public Roads

750-005-00166-3DOT’s Federal Highway Administration (FHA) publishes this bimonthly magazine containing articles on highway research, engineering, safety, and surfacing. Public Roads keeps readers up-to-date on developments in Federal highway policies, programs, and technology. Subscriptions are available through GPO.

2016 Emergency Response Guidebook

050-000-00597-6This refreshed FHA publication is targeted to first responders called to clean up transportation-related hazardous material spills. It details procedures for handling such incidents as well as products and technology used in spill management. This guidebook helps incident responders, including transporters and emergency services personnel, to quickly identify spilled material and protect themselves and the public.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Chelsea Milko is a Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956

June 28, 2016
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (credit: Dwight Eisenhower Library)

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (credit: Dwight Eisenhower Library)

President Dwight Eisenhower’s signing of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law 60 years ago on June 29th had a profound change and impact on American life.  This act established the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (aka the Interstate Highway System), one of largest public works programs in U.S. history and an integral part of U.S. economy and culture. The act created 41,000 miles of highways and is credited for improving the transportation of goods and services, and giving birth to the commuter. The new roads allowed Americans to live farther away from the cities and provided easy access to commute from the suburbs to work.

public_roads_1The Federal-aid highway program began with the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916, and many miles of highways and rural roads were built under this funding program through the 1930s. As the need for major interstate highways increased, a master plan for highway development was created in 1939 under President Franklin Roosevelt and was finally fulfilled with the passage of the 1956 Act, signed by President Eisenhower. The Act also created the Highway Trust Fund, which funds Federal-aid highway projects in partnership with state highway agencies.

The first construction project begun under the Act was for work on U.S. 40 (now the I-70 Mark Twain Expressway) in Missouri. Currently there are just under 47,000 miles of Interstate highways in the U.S., and new routes are developed by states to this day.

To celebrate this momentous day in transportation history, please enjoy the historical resources GPO provides:

  • The text of the 1956 bill, from the United States Statutes at Large, available via govinfo
  • 50th anniversary hearings before the House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure,  June 27, 2006, available via govinfo
  • America’s Highways: 1776-1976, a book published by the Federal Highway Administration in 1976, documenting the history of the highway system, available via GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
  • Highway History, a website managed by the Federal Highway Administration, with informative articles and other historical resources, including a 50th anniversary commemorative webpage
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library’s Interstate Highway System collection, containing digitized documents from the Eisenhower presidential papers relating to the passage of the Act
  • Highway hearings, a promotional video created by Dow Chemical in an attempt to increase popular support for the Act

750-005-00164-7The Federal Highway Administration publishes a bimonthly magazine titled, “Public Roads Magazine.” It contains many articles relating to highway research, engineering, safety on the highways, surfacing, and other subjects in this field. Reading Public Roads is the easiest way to keep up-to-date on developments in Federal highway policies, programs, and research and technology. Learn more and subscribe, or read online.

We hope you will enjoy these interesting resources that capture the essence of this historic and influential event in U.S. history.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

In addition to clicking on the links in the article above to find the publications, you may find these publications from the following:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

 Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Jennifer Lindley is a Technical Services Librarian in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

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