UB librarians publish new guide to government reference materials

By PATRICIA DONOVAN

News Services Editor

Libraries Unlimited has published the second edition of the "Subject Guide to U.S. Government Reference Sources" by Gayle J. Hardy-Davis, associate librarian in the reference department of UB's Lockwood Library, and Judith Schiek Robinson, associate professor in the UB School of Information and Library Studies.

The new guide offers reliable and accessible data with which library professionals, government officials, students, researchers and others can find thousands of U.S. government publications on a wide variety of topics, from aging, aquaculture and astronomy to demographics, stamp collecting and taxes.

The book is a guide to reference resources that range from traditional books to the latest technological formats: CD-ROMs, diskettes, Internet sites, databases, agency bulletin boards and even specialized information clearinghouses. The book also lists addresses for items that are free, as well as agency toll-free numbers, e-mail addresses and Web URLS.

The first edition was written by Robinson, a prolific author who has published several books and many jurored articles in her field. For this edition, the authors have added 900 new titles, updated all other entries and in their formatting and editing have emphasized easy access to information.

The book is available in the reference section of Lockwood Library and soon will be on reference shelves in public, corporate and university libraries throughout the country.