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Each year, Library Journal (LJ) selects what it considers to be the most notable Government documents published by Federal, state, and local governments. This year, almost every Federal publication it picked is available through the Government Printing Office�s Sales Program.
According to its Web site, Library Journal is “the oldest and most respected publication covering the library field. Considered to be the 'bible' of the library world, LJ is read by over 100,000 library directors, administrators, and staff in public, academic, and special libraries. LJ is the single-most comprehensive publication for librarians...Its hefty review sections evaluate nearly 7000 books annually, along with hundreds of audiobooks, videos, databases, web sites, and systems that libraries buy.”
Out of all of the Federal Government documents LJ saw in 2008, here are the ones it found most notable, and what it said about each.
2008 Best Notable Government Documents
By Jim Church -- Library Journal, 5/15/2009
Federal Documents
The Agency and the Hill: CIA's Relationship With Congress, 1946-2004
Publisher:
Central Intelligence Agency, Center for the Study of Intelligence
Description:
This detailed study encompasses the period from the creation of the agency in 1946 until 2004, when the director of Central Intelligence ceased being the head of the U.S. intelligence community. The aim was to offer an understanding of the agency's relationship with Congress, analyze the past, and provide a guide to the future.
Year/Pages:
2008: 405 p.; ill.
Price:
$49.00
Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007 (Hardcover)
Publisher:
House, Office of the Clerk, Office of History and Preservation
Description:
Written for a general audience, these profiles of each of the 121 African American members of Congress outline their history and career. Divided into four time periods, contextual essays help explain major events in congressional and U.S. history. With extensive appendixes, a comprehensive index, and statistical graphs and charts.
Year/Pages:
2008: 803 p.; ill.
Price:
$54.00
Census Atlas of the United States (Hardcover)
Publisher:
Commerce Dept., Census Bureau
Description:
This large, oversized atlas contains maps with county-level detail, illustrating the wide range of data collected by the decennial censuses, grouped into three general themes: who we are, where we come from, what we do. These colorful maps reveal the fascinating relationships among people and the states, cities, and counties in which they have chosen to live.
Year/Pages:
2007: 314 p.; ill.
Price:
$173.50
The FBI: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Hardcover)
Publisher:
Justice Dept., Federal Bureau of Investigation
Description:
It all started with a short memo, dated July 26, 1908, describing a 'regular force of special agents' available to investigate certain cases of the Department of Justice. Includes overviews of more than 40 famous FBI cases and an extensive collection of never-before-seen photos.
Year/Pages:
2008: 132 p.; ill.
Price:
$30.00
Glenn Brown's History of the United States Capitol
Publisher:
United States Capitol Preservation Commission
Description:
Though originally published in 1900 and 1903 as a two-volume set, this edition on the building of the Capitol features an updated bibliography and annotations. Bushong's introductory essay on Brown provides historical perspective. The original black-and-white plates have been replaced with high-quality color and black-and-white photos. The historical drawings and color prints of artwork are exquisite.
Year/Pages:
1998: 668 p.; ill.
Price:
$94.50
The Healthy Woman: A Complete Guide for All Ages
Publisher:
Health and Human Services Dept., Office on Women's Health
Description:
Intending to give straightforward information on things women can do to stay healthy, this book is filled with easy-to-read, understandable explanations to everyday health problems. Handy charts and eye-catching illustrations, too. Also, personal health stories.
Year/Pages:
2008: 518 p.; ill.
Price:
$24.95
The Little Acorn
Publisher:
Agriculture Dept., Natural Resource Conservation Service
Description:
This labor of love by USDA staff members conveys the seasonal cycle of tree growth, the importance of trees in soil conservation, water purification, and benefits to wildlife, as seen by one of the forest's inhabitants. It is suitable for preschool and early elementary school students.
Year/Pages:
2008: 24 p.; ill.
Price:
$5.00
Malheur's Legacy: Celebrating a Century of Conservation, 1908-2008, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Southeast Oregon
Publisher:
Interior Dept., Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Description:
The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, located in southeastern Oregon, is home to a multitude of birds and other wildlife. This book, richly illustrated with colorful pictures, both historical and current, outlines the history of the development of the refuge and documents the efforts by many groups to conserve its natural resources. The photographic quality is exceptional.
Year/Pages:
2008: 178 p.; ill.
Price:
$71.00
Soviet-American Relations: The Detente Years, 1969-1972
Publisher:
State Dept., Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of the Historian
Description:
This one-volume publication is a joint presentation of the formerly secret record of how the United States and the Soviet Union moved from Cold War to d�tente in 1969�72. Published side by side are U.S. and Soviet accounts of meetings between Henry Kissinger and Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin, the so-called Kissinger-Dobrynin confidential channel, related documents, and the full Soviet and U.S. account of the first Moscow Summit between Richard Nixon and Leonid Brezhnev. The Soviet documents are released here for the first time anywhere.
Year/Pages:
2007: 1081 p.; ill.
Price:
$62.00
War Surgery in Afghanistan and Iraq: A Series of Cases, 2003-2007
Publisher:
Defense Dept., Office of the Surgeon General, Borden Institute
Description:
This latest volume in the �Textbooks of Military Medicine� series is not for the faint of heart, with its photos illustrating the grim nature of today's military conflicts. Prepared especially for emergency medical personnel, the book provides the principles and priorities critical to managing the trauma of modern warfare.
Year/Pages:
2008: 464 p.; ill.
Price:
$71.00
The World Cruise of the Great White Fleet: Honoring 100 Years of Global Partnerships and Security (Hardcover)
Publisher:
Defense Dept., Navy, Naval Historical Center
Description:
Back in 1907, as a result of a U.S.-Japanese diplomatic crisis, Theodore Roosevelt made the fateful decision to take the U.S. Navy 'global' by having the fleet circumnavigate the world. Richly illustrated with monochrome photos, this attractive scrapbook of the cruise includes colored maps, diagrams, and reproductions of paintings and cards published at the time. A complement to naval history texts and a fascinating insight into an earlier era when the United States was emerging as a world power.
Year/Pages:
2008: 150 p.; ill.
Price:
$46.00
