“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” Part 4: U.S. Federal Government Finances

April 26, 2018

How is the Federal Government doing with its debt and finances?

This blog post is the last in our “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” series and highlights a few new books about Federal finances including financial debt, exporting & international trade, and the U.S. economy.

Here are a few new books to check out by the U.S. Federal Government:

Financial Report of the United States FY 2017  This report is a thorough overview of the federal government’s current financial position and future fiscal projections. Coverage includes current trends in revenues, costs, deficit and debt. It also highlights the government’s long-term fiscal challenge of funding the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Each section includes a summary of actions along with tabular charts to represent the data. The summary sections also include earned revenues, taxes, social security, Medicare, long-term fiscal projections, America’s debt and more. Policymakers, budget analysts, governmental personnel, economists, financial analysts, America’s businesses, including Small Business sector, U.S. economic trade partners, and American citizens interested in the financial state and growth of our country, may be interested in this resource. Students and professors studying the federal budget, U.S. economy, and financial projection statistics may also have a keen interest in this material for research. Public, special and academic libraries may also want a copy of this resource for their economic and government collections.

Economic Indicators, monthly periodical subscription, provides economic information on gross domestic product, income, employment, prices, wages, production, business activity, credit, purchasing power, security markets and more.

Mineral Commodity Summaries 2018 may serve as a wonderful reference to you for understanding trends and issues for each mineral commodity. You will find which commodity has a Government stockpile with detailed information concerning the stockpile status within a two-page synopsis. Additionally, tabular presentations on domestic industry structure, Government programs, tariffs, 5-year salient statistics and world production and resources can also be found in this updated volume. The Appendices included provide relevant information that may assist you with understanding the topics that are discussed across America’s news medium. This publication benefits American citizens, economists, investment traders, exporters, customs brokers, and individuals who may want to know more about mineral commodities and their impact on international trade. High school sophomores and above taking economic classes that cover international trade, exporting and tariffs may find this annual reference helpful for research papers and essays relating to commodities, tariffs, and international trade.

Additional books about Exporting & Foreign Trade

More resources about Budget & the Economy

Part 1 of this Money Smart series can be found here.

Part 2 of this blog post series can be found here.

Part 3 of this blog post series can be found here.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

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 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.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” Part 3: Retirement Planning

April 25, 2018

This third blog post in the “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” series features #retirement planning. These U.S. Federal Government resources features an overview of financial guidance about 401(K) retirement plans and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan covers private investment retirement plans governed by state laws and guidelines in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). This guidance will help you plan and explain what information you should review periodically and where to go for help with your questions. Specific circumstances, such as how a divorce change or employer ownership may affect your retirement benefit, are included. American citizens, investment advisers, accountants, CPAs, individual investors, employers and owners, and Federal Government employees may be interested in this information.

Companion:  Lo Que Usted Debe Saber Sobre Su Plan de Jubilacion

Applying for Deferred or Postponed Retirement Under the Federal Employees Retirement System FERS primarily applies to U.S. Federal Government employees that started working after January 1, 1987 and explains the process of applying for a Federal employee retirement annuity through the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) program.

Find more Retirement resources

Check out “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” blog post series #1 Financial Aid planning here and blog post series #2 -Long-Term Care Financial resource planning here.

Coming Soon – U.S. Federal Government Finance Management

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

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 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.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” Part 2: Long-Term Care Financial Planning

April 24, 2018

Money Smart Week helps consumers manage their personal finances better. We have put together a four-part series called “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” showcasing different Federal publications to offer financial planning for American citizens.

  • Part 1 will focus on financial aid
  • Part 2 will focus on long-term healthcare planning
  • Part 3 will focus on retirement planning
  • Part 4 will focus on the U.S. Federal Government Finances

Part 2: Long-Term Care Financial Planning

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” presents #eldercare resources for seniors and their families to plan for long-term care needs.

Need help planning for long-term healthcare and figuring out what services are covered by Medicare?

Medicare & Home Health Care is the official Federal Government resource providing you with the “Go-To” information you need to determine your Medicare rights.  It helps answer these questions:

  • Who’s eligible?
  • What services are covered?
  • How do I find and compare home health agencies?

Medicare-eligible individuals and their families, home health care personnel and agencies, skilled-nursing care facilities, physical and occupational therapists, physicians and medical teams that treat Medicare patients, may be most interested in this guide. Many may find the Home Health Agency and Home Health Care checklists helpful in finding home health care for their needs. A glossary is also included for a better understanding of health care terms..

Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Services & Supports provides a detailed outline of different types of insurance., Here you’ll find an explanation of the role  Medicare and Medicaid play in the process of acquiring nursing home care or alternative types of care. The guide also provides a “Definitions” section and a Nursing Home checklist. People considering entering nursing homes or receiving elder care, as well as family members helping to make this choice with their elderly loved ones, will find this informative publication extremely helpful.

Don’t forget … just like younger people, seniors need exercise too – Check out our resources collection on aging and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Part 1 in this blog series – Financial Planning for Post-High School Education

Coming soon – Part 3 Retirement Planning and Federal Finance Management

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

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 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.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

Leave a Comment » | aging, Department of Health & Human Services, finances, Health care | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” blog post series from the US GPO

April 23, 2018

Money Smart Week helps consumers manage their personal finances better. We have put together a four-part series called “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” showcasing different Federal publications to offer financial planning for American citizens.

  • Part 1 will focus on financial aid
  • Part 2 will focus on long-term healthcare planning
  • Part 3 will focus on retirement planning
  • Part 4 will focus on the U.S. Federal Government Finances

Part 1: Financial Aid planning for Post-High School Education

Are you returning to school for more education?  Or sending a son/daughter to college for specialized courses or more education? 

Fundamentals of Federal Student Aid Administration 2017−2018 is a comprehensive workshop kit provided as a participant guide to help you prepare your financial aid application requirements, including repayment obligations for postsecondary education. This essential resource covers the FAFSA, PLUS loans, and Pell grants to provide you with the necessary paperwork required for submitting a financial aid application. High school students, parents, caregivers and graduate students may be most interested in this authoritative guidance.

Funding Your Education: The Guide to Federal Student Aid provides a description of Federal Student Aid programs and the application process. FREE eBook downloads of this product are available directly through the US Government Online Bookstore, and through Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play and Overdrive. Please use ISBN: 9780160926235 to search for this eBook through these platforms. MOBI format is available for free download directly from the US Government Online Bookstore here.

Please also check out our Student Financial Aid resources and Jobs & Employment categories.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

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 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.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

 

Leave a Comment » | Department of Education | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

How is the Agricultural Sector Doing? The Latest Vital Statistics

April 12, 2018

There’s no more critical economic sector supporting a thriving and growing American economy than the great work of the nation’s farmers, livestock, and fisheries operators. A healthy agri-sector not only makes for a healthy American family, but also is of great importance as a reliable export contributor.

The Department of Agriculture’s yearly report, “Agricultural Cooperative Statistics”, is published annually to provide information on the position and trends among the America’s farmer, rancher, and fishery cooperatives. The latest report with 2016 data was just released.

These statistics are used for cooperative benchmarking, research, technical assistance, education, planning, and public policy. The collection, analysis, and dissemination of cooperative statistics are managed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Consumers, Department of Agriculture | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

School Librarian Day

April 4, 2018

April 4th is National School Librarian Day.  It’s a day all Americans, especially those with children, should actively honor all school librarians.  School librarians spend their days keeping the library organized, aiding children find the resources they want and need to keep learning. Dedicated to their profession and to creating an environment where all visitors can learn in every day of the year.  All of this hard work too often goes un-noticed, even unappreciated.

Young minds needs to be nurtured.  Gently challenging those minds with good quality, by offering up interesting and new reading material and reference materials is what school librarians do best.

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has a deep connection to the libraries across America. The best example: The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), established by Congress in 1813 to ensure Americans have access to the Government’s information. Many of these Federal depository libraries have been working with GPO for more than 120 years to keep Americans informed on the news of their government.  GPO’s Government Bookstore offers many publications that can benefit young minds.

Here are just a few:

Join the Lorax To Help Save Energy, Water, and Protect the Planet Activity Book

The Environmental Protection Agency says “Join the Lorax and ENERGY STAR by doing your part. Save energy at home and at school – to keep pollution out of the air and keep the earth cool! The Lorax can teach us a thing or two, about saving water – that’s a good thing for the earth too.” A graphic and simple-to-understand activity book to engage school children in learning and caring about the environment and how to improve America’s quality of life. (The Lorax is a Dr. Suess property. TM 2015)

 Where Is Bear?: A Terrific Tale For 2-Year Olds

Where is Bear? is a fun, interactive way to encourage 2-year-olds in their development and to help parents monitor their children’s attainment of important skills. It’s a win-win for early development!  Meet Tiger, Bear, and their forest friends, Bird, Frog, Fox, and Turtle! In this terrifically unique and interactive tale, your 2-year-old child will help Tiger find Bear. Each step in your child’s quest to find Bear highlights important milestones in your child’s growth and development. Look for the leaf at the bottom of the page for these Milestone Moments.

 Amazing Me: It’s Busy Being 3

In this story, an amazing kangaroo named Joey shows all of the amazing things he can do now that he is 3 years old. These amazing things are called developmental milestones. First steps, first words, and using the potty for the first time are all developmental milestones. Other developmental milestones, like the ones in this book, may not be as easy to see, but they are just as important for your child’s development.

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.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Children, Family, Libraries, Parenting, Teachers and teaching | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

National Ag Day – March 20

March 20, 2018

National Ag Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by America’s agricultural community. Every year producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies, and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture.

What Is Ag Day All About?
Ag Day recognizes – and celebrates – the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:

  • Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
  • Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
  • Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.

Your family can celebrate and acknowledge the importance of agriculture in our daily lives easily and enjoyably by engaging your children in creating recipes that you also can suggest to your local school cafeteria leaders. Here’s an easy way to get involved; by obtaining this easy-to-prepare set of fun and nutritional recipes.

Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbook for Schools from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This cookbook presents a variety of recipes, with full color photographs of the finished meals, for children (and adults!).  The recipes have fun names and are tasty to both kids and adults, and include nutritional ingredients like dark green and orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, and whole grains.  The recipes are low in fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium.

This is a cookbook with recipes that kids and adults will want to prepare and eat, and have fun while doing so, while benefitting by great nutrition!  The cookbook features a collection of recipes from the “Recipes for Healthy Kids Competition,” where children, school nutritionists, chefs, parents, and other interested members of the community submitted their own recipes for fun, healthy foods.

Get on board a more nutritional lifestyle for your family and have fun doing it.

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.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

International Women’s Day, March 8, 2018

March 7, 2018

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women’s Day has occurred for well over a century. Started by the Suffragettes in the early 1900’s, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1911.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Government Book Talk is highlighting a new publication from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Women and Religious Freedom: Synergies and Opportunities. The purpose of this publication is to seek to identify complexities between freedom of religion or belief (FORB) and the right to women’s equality through the analysis of various international human rights law documents impacting this topic. It addresses a fundamental issue especially true in societies with deep historic traditions and values not always in harmony with the progress of women’s equality.

For more publications celebrating the achievements of women go to: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/women.

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.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

 

Leave a Comment » | Human Rights, International, Women | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Read Across America – March 2

March 1, 2018

On March 2, 2018, Get involved! The National Education Association’s Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books, and you can too! Incorporate these guides and activities to celebrate reading with young people.

The Federal Government Environmental Protection Agency has a fun and informative children’s activity book featuring beloved Dr. Seuss character, the Lorax (Dr. Seuss TM 2015).

Join the Lorax and ENERGY STAR by doing your part. Save energy at home and at school – to keep pollution out of the air and keep the earth cool! The Lorax can teach us a thing or two, about saving water – that’s a good thing for the earth too.” A graphic and simple-to-understand activity book to engage school children in learning and caring about the environment and how to improve America’s quality of life.

You can purchase this fun booklet online at the U.S. Government Bookstore here.

For more on Dr. Seuss, read “Dr. Seuss, U.S Army” from the early days of Government Book Talk.

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.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Consumers, Environment, Environmental Protection Agency | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Black History Month

February 16, 2018

Since President Gerald R. Ford first officially recognized Black History Month during America’s Bicentennial celebration, the United States and its Government have recognized the incredible achievements of African-American citizens throughout its history. However, the origins of Black History Month stretch nearly 50 years prior to that event.

In 1926, Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced that they would be celebrating the second week of February as Negro History Week. They chose this particular week in honor of the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Over the next several years, the event grew, due in large part to the involvement of schools, until in 1969 the concept of a Black History Month was proposed at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. The first recorded celebration of Black History Month occurred the next year, 1970, and from there was spread throughout colleges and universities picking up momentum in public opinion until Ford officially recognized it six years later.

The history of accomplishments, achievements, and innovations of African-Americans throughout our Nation’s history is vast and diverse. The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has printed several publications throughout the years that highlight those triumphs.

GPO offers access to several items that can help your organization pay homage to this unique history. The U.S. Government Bookstore offers several titles about this topic. Some of those include:

  • Underground Railroad – This National Park Service handbook describes the many ways that blacks took to escape slavery in the southern United States before the Civil War. It includes stories of famous African American women, such as Harriet Tubman, who served in the Union Army as a nurse, spy, and scout, and Sojourner Truth, who helped recruit black troops for the Union Army.
  • Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007 (Paperback Edition) – Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007 provides a comprehensive history of the more than 120 African Americans who have served in the United States Congress from 1870 through 2007. Individual profiles are introduced by contextual essays that explain major events in Congressional and U.S. history. It is illustrated with many portraits, photographs, and charts. Questions that are answered include: How many African Americans have served in the U.S. Congress? How did Reconstruction, the Great Migration, and the post-World War II civil rights movement affect black Members of Congress? Who was the first African American to chair a Congressional committee?
  • Freedom by the Sword: The U.S. Colored Troops, 1862-1867 (Paperback) – Freedom by the Sword tells the story of the Colored Troops recruitment, organization, and service. The broad focus is on every theater of the Civil War and its concentration on what black soldiers actually contributed to Union victory. It examines the Colored Troops’ formation, training, and operations during the entire span of their service and in every theater of the war in which they served. It underscores the unique nature of their contributions both to Union victory and to their own liberation.

GPO also offers free access to H.J. Res. 12, which designated February 1993 as National Black History Month. Through govinfo.gov, you can find access to several occasions of Congress celebrating Black History Month and other related topics discussed on the House and Senate floors.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Click on the Links: For the free resources, click on the links above in the blog post.

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.

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

Leave a Comment » | African Americans, Libraries, Teachers and teaching, U.S. History | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

The Shaping of Allied Military Strategy During the Crisis Years of WWII

February 1, 2018

The “Big Three” at Yalta. Seated, left to right: British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin and their staffs at the Argonaut Conference in February 1945. Image courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The U.S. Department of Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff History Office recently released a series of eBooks focusing on the Inter-Allied conferences held during World War II.  The conferences documented within this series were led by senior military leaders from the United States and Great Britain working in concert to make vitally important decisions for the combined WWII effort during the period of uncertainty facing Allied Forces in both the European and Asian conflicts.

Download for free this series of eBooks detailing the inner-workings of these historic conferences from the U.S. Government Bookstore.

Here are a few examples in the series.

The Arcadia Conference: December 1941–January 1942. Two weeks after the United States entered World War II, the Arcadia Conference (also known as the First Washington Conference) was held in Washington, DC, from December 24, 1941 to January 14, 1942. Working together President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill made the initial crucial decisions for the combined war effort at this important meeting. One of these established the Combined Chiefs of Staff, comprising the high-ranking officers who would become the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and their British counterparts. It was this consultative body of top military leaders that would refine the Allied military strategy and approve all significant military decisions for the duration of conflict. The most consequential decision reached at Arcadia was that of “Germany first,” making the defeat of Germany the prime Allied objective. Additionally, plans to invade North Africa, which would come to fruition in November 1942 with Operation Torch, were extensively studied and discussed.

The Post-Arcadia Conference: January–May 1942. Only nine days after the Arcadia Conference (also known as the First Washington Conference) was held in Washington, DC, the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) again convened for a series of twenty meetings between January 23 and May 19, 1942. During these meetings, the CCS focused on the situation in the Southwest Pacific area known as the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) area, which included Burma; support of Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-Shek; and the possibility of a German attack on England.

Seated: President Franklin D. Roosevelt (left) and British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill with the Combined Chiefs of Staff at the Casablanca Conference on January 22, 1943. Image courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Casablanca Conference: January 1943. During the first month of 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill met at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca in French Morocco for a ten-day conference to plan the next stages of the war against the Axis. Accompanied by the French generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, the two leaders and the Combined Chiefs of Staff mapped out the grand strategy for both the European and the Pacific theaters.

Interested in learning more about these and other WWII Inter-Allied conferences? Visit the U.S. Government Online Bookstore to download the entire series here.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

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 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.

About the author: Blogger contributor Trudy Hawkins is a Marketing and Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

 

Leave a Comment » | Department of Defense, ebooks, Military History, World War II | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

North and South Korea

January 11, 2018

The two Koreas; one is smaller than Indiana, the other contains less mass than Mississippi. Where South Korea has become a global economic engine, with an economy 36 times greater than its northern neighbor, North Korea’s people reportedly suffer from malnutrition and the lack of basic human needs. Its leader Kim Jong Un, appears to emphasize building and maintaining a million member military, increasingly powerful nuclear weapons, and deploying sophisticated missiles with global reach capabilities. Americans need to fully understand how different and unique the people of both South and North Korea are, psychologically and philosophically, from those living in Western societies, especially the U.S.

The U.S. Government Bookstore has a comprehensive collection of publications that feature every aspect of the Korean War, the aftermath, profiles of North Korea prior to the emergence of Kim Jong Un, studies of Confrontation on the Korean Peninsula, plus in-depth studies about “Our Not so Peaceful Nuclear Future” and other insightful titles about the state of nuclear confrontation facing our leaders today, primarily due to the dramatic new capabilities of the Kim Jong Un regime.

Here are a few examples; or, click here to see a full range of pertinent publications.

North Korea: A Country Study. This volume is one in a continuing series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program. This study attempts to review the history and treat in a concise manner the dominant social, political, economic, and military aspects of contemporary North Korea.

Confronting Security Challenges on the Korean Peninsula. This publication provides papers from a symposium that was held on September 1, 2010. South Korean military strategists in Panel 1 talked about challenges on the Korean peninsula including the effectiveness of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, and the relationship between North and South Korea. Panel 2 addressed the Obama administration’s expansion of sanctions against North Korea and the freezing of assets of individuals and organizations linked to its nuclear program, focusing on contingency planning, military readiness, and the potential economic impact of the collapse of North Korea. Panel 3 focused on human rights issues in North Korea.

Underestimated: Our Not So Peaceful Nuclear Future. With the world focused on the nuclear crisis in Iran, it is tempting to think that addressing this case, North Korea, and the problem of nuclear terrorism is all that matters and is what matters most. Perhaps, but if states become more willing to use their nuclear weapons to achieve military advantage, the problem of proliferation will become much more unwieldy. In this case, U.S. security will be hostage not just to North Korea, Iran, or terrorists, but to nuclear proliferation more generally, diplomatic miscalculations, and wars between a much larger number of possible players.

Moving Beyond Pretense: Nuclear Power and Nonproliferation. Most governments have made the promotion of nuclear power’s growth and global development a top priority. Throughout, they have insisted that the dangers of nuclear weapons proliferation are manageable either by making future nuclear plants more “proliferation-resistant” or by strengthening International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and acquiring more timely intelligence on proliferators. How sound is this view? How useful might civilian nuclear programs be for states that want to get nuclear weapons quickly? Are current International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear safeguards sufficient to block military nuclear diversions from civilian programs? Are there easy fixes to upgrade these controls? How much can we count on more timely intelligence on proliferators to stem the further spread of nuclear weapons?  This volume taps the insights and analyses of 13 top security and nuclear experts to get the answers. What emerges is a comprehensive counter-narrative to the prevailing wisdom, and a series of innovative reforms to tighten existing nuclear nonproliferation controls.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

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 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.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Army War College, Department of Defense, Foreign Relations, Library of Congress (LOC), U.S. Army, World History | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

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