Other Departments Other States

Presented by Daniel Cornwall, Alaska State Library

Learning Objectives

Become aware of public information produced by other Alaska agencies.

Know how to do basic searches in at least three AK databases.

Know where to look for unpublished agency materials.

Know three ways to locate sister departments in other states.

Information in Alaska

State Library/ALA GODORT have identified over FOUR DOZEN searchable databases.

Many agencies produce community level information.

Demonstration of three resources from different agencies.

These resources and many more at http://asl-education.pbwiki.com/Resources-for-Other-States

Community Database Online

If you need to know …. Where an Alaskan community is Basic Demographics – Current and historical back to

1940 Climate Poverty rates Local history Contacts for local officials, utilities Municipal finances

Then CDO is the place to go!

Community Database Online (Cont)

Produced by DCRA of Dept of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development

Demo http://www.dced.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/

CF_COMDB.htm

CDO – Practice Time (5 min or so)

Check out a community summary.Do a custom query with at least two

communities and e-mail yourself a spreadsheet.

Contaminated Sites Program Database

If you need to know … If there is a leaking underground storage tank near you. If there is a contaminated site near you. How (or whether) a contaminated site was cleaned up.

Produced by Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Spill Prevention and Response

Demo http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/csp/db_search.htm

Contaminated Sites Program Database

Practice Time (5 min)Search ideas

Use your home zip code. Use Perseverance Mill as a facility name. Try Juneau Federal Building as a facility name. Choose a borough and a status from the drop

down boxesBe sure to examine at least one site

report.

Business and Professional Licenses

When you need to know … Whether someone claiming to be licensed

actually is. Whether a business has a current license. A mailing address for a business or licensed

professional.

Business and Professional Licenses

Produced by Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing

Demo http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/occ/

Business and Professional Licenses

Practice Time (5 min)Search ideas

Unified license searching – try Alaskan and Proud or Medispa

Business License Search – Select mining, then Juneau, limit to current licenses. Or use Fernando’s as a business name.

Occupational License – Use ACU for board, “A” for license type and Juneau to see local licensed acupuncturists.

Places to find other Dept-based info – Dept Map on State Home Page

Places to find other Dept-based info – List of AK Databases from ALA

ALA Government Documents Roundtable wiki – Librarian-based effort.

Organized by state, some by subjectAlaska page has 56 databases listed at

http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Alaska

What about unpublished information?

Many agencies, including your own have many records never published in print or web.

Some information is permanently retained, other is not.

How to know what’s retained?

Alaska State Archives – Retention Schedules

Retention Schedule Practice (5 min)

Go to http://www.archives.state.ak.us and choose Program Records Retention Schedule.

Pick an agency or division that interests you and briefly review schedule.

Questions about what you see? Ask Dean Dawson at 465-2276.

Other States

GovSearch

Electronic Version of Carroll’s Government Directories (i.e. Yellow Books)

Available from Library’s Indexes and Databases page

Available directly at http://www.carrollpub.com/subscribers

Demo

USA.gov – Find Government

http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories/Agencies_by_Topic.shtml

State Agency Databases Across the Fifty States

Librarian generated and maintained list of databases.

Main organization is by state, some organization by subject. Entries are annotated.

Searching by database name and description is available.

Demo

Questions?

Contact Information

Daniel Cornwall

Head of Information Services

Alaska State Library

(907) 465-1315 ph

(907) 465-2665 fax

E-Mail: dan.cornwall@alaska.gov

Class Page:

http://asl-education.pbwiki.com/Other+States