GODORT (Government Documents Round Table)

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last person joined: 13 days ago 

The mission of the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) is to (1) To provide a forum for discussion of problems, concerns, and for exchange of ideas by librarians working with government documents; (2) to provide a force for initiating and supporting programs to increase availability, use, and bibliographic control of documents; (3) to increase communication between documents librarians and other librarians; (4) to contribute to the extension and improvement of education and training of documents librarians.

Learn more about GODORT on the ALA website.

  • 1.  Join GODORT during ALA Annual in Chicago

    Posted Jun 12, 2023 02:19 PM
      |   view attached

    Founded in 1972, the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) is a dynamic forum where information professionals learn, discuss, advocate, and create scholarship on and about government information at all levels of government. GODORT invites all ALA members to join our events during the Annual Conference in Chicago.  

    Friday, June 23

    • Getting to know the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT 101):  2:30 - 3:30 pm
      • Location: McCormick Place, W475a

    Join us for an introduction to the activities and offering of ALA's Government Documents Round Table (GODORT)! Meet GODORT officers, talk to members, and hear about ongoing and upcoming activities of the Round Table. All are welcome!

    Sunday, June 25

    • Chicago Data in Action, co-sponsored by GODORT, ACRL DSS, and ACRL PPIRS, 11:00 - 12:00 pm
      • Location: McCormick Place, W181a

    There's nothing quite so satisfying as a data-driven decision or story told with numbers. What better way to experience Chicago than through its data? Come to this session to learn more about how data and statistics are gathered and the stories they tell about Chicago. Chicago area data experts will share how they are using data for advocacy, prioritization, and decision making. Invited panelists and moderators include nonprofit leaders in social services, Chicago government data experts, Chicago-area data analytics providers, and an academic librarian with expertise on data resources. Each panelist will present relevant data and discuss its impact on the work they do and participate in a moderated discussion about municipal data resources and issues. Presenters will share how data can support a more equitable and diverse distribution of resources in cities, and contribute to social change. The panel will be followed by a brief question and answer session with the audience.

    • GODORT Chair's Program -- Beyond the Vote: Library Advocacy Stories from the Front Lines, 1:00 - 2:00 pm
      • Location: McCormick Place, W183b

    Take the next step toward being a champion for your library and your community by hearing from Illinois librarians that have been on the front lines responding to threats to library services. Featuring speakers named "Chicagoans of the Year for Books" by the Chicago Tribune -- Elizabeth Lynch, Julie Milavec, John Chrastka -- and librarian-turned-Library Board Trustee Mike Monahan, this panel discussion will cover recommended steps to take to make your voice heard on the issues that matter to your library and community. Part of an ongoing GODORT series on effective advocacy strategies.

    Monday, June 26

    • Revealing Chicago's Planning Past Digitally. Co-sponsored by GODORT and MAGIRT: 9:00 - 10:00 am
      • Location: McCormick Place, W181a

    The government of Chicago has historically produced a tremendous amount of information about the geography and planning of the city, but much of it is only accessible in physical form in select locations. In this panel will be representatives from several Chicago area institutions. Representatives from the University of Illinois Chicago will present on their programs for digitizing historical building permits and creating historical ward map shapefiles. Representatives from the Mapping Chicagoland Project (a collaboration between the University of Chicago, the Newberry Library and the Chicago History Museum) will present on their digitization project of historical maps of Chicago, including the addition of geospatial metadata.

    • Chicago Public Library Tour, Harold Washington Library, Municipal Reference Collection: 1:00 - 2:00 pm

    If you can't make any of these events but are still curious about GODORT, stop by the ALA Connect Lounge on Saturday 9a-11a to say hello and learn more about GODORT.

    We look forward to see you in Chicago!



    ------------------------------
    Robbie Sittel, GODORT Past-Chair
    GODORT Membership Committee Chair
    Librarian
    She/Her/Hers
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    GODORT postcard.pdf   129 KB 1 version


  • 2.  RE: Join GODORT during ALA Annual in Chicago

    Posted Jun 16, 2023 01:04 PM

    Hi Robbie,

    I am going over my ALA Schedule and discovered these two GODORT presentations not included in the Scheduler:

    Discussion theme: Government documents in history research

    Government documents serve as an important type of primary source material for historical research. Nevertheless, the process of identifying and accessing needed documents is far from simple.  Many documents are freely available through online repositories, some libraries provide selected content through licensed databases, and some institutions are depository libraries, responsible for preserving and/or providing access to this material. The result is a complex landscape, creating challenges for both discovery of and access to these important resources.

    Questions: How can librarians help users discover and access government documents? What experiences have you had with working with researchers who need government documents? What have been some of the challenges you have encountered? Are history researchers using government documents in print?  What suggestions do you have for librarians or other researchers in navigating this diverse material and the many different access points to it?  

    Join other librarians to discuss these questions as well as others that may be of interest to you.

    Format: In-person at ALA Annual 2023 

    When: Friday, June 24, 9 AM to 10 AM Central Time

    Where: McCormick Place, W196c, Chicago 

    Add this and other RUSA HS events to your ALA schedule

    Questions? Contact co-conveners Cynthia Levine (crlevine@ncsu.edu) and Amanda Binder (abinder3@uncc.edu). 

    Membership in ALA, RUSA and the History Section are not required to participate in this discussion. 

    Feel free to share the announcement with colleagues involved in other ALA divisions and sections.

    AND

    • Chicago Data in Action, co-sponsored by GODORT, ACRL DSS, and ACRL PPIRS, 11:00 - 12:00 pm
      • Location: McCormick Place, W181a

    There's nothing quite so satisfying as a data-driven decision or story told with numbers. What better way to experience Chicago than through its data? Come to this session to learn more about how data and statistics are gathered and the stories they tell about Chicago. Chicago area data experts will share how they are using data for advocacy, prioritization, and decision making. Invited panelists and moderators include nonprofit leaders in social services, Chicago government data experts, Chicago-area data analytics providers, and an academic librarian with expertise on data resources. Each panelist will present relevant data and discuss its impact on the work they do and participate in a moderated discussion about municipal data resources and issues. Presenters will share how data can support a more equitable and diverse distribution of resources in cities, and contribute to social change. The panel will be followed by a brief question and answer session with the audience.


    ------------------------------
    [Jennifer] [Boettcher]
    Business Reference Librarian
    boettcher@georgetown.edu
    (202) 687-7495
    @jenny.wombat
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Join GODORT during ALA Annual in Chicago

    Posted Jun 19, 2023 01:11 PM

    Jennifer, thank you for bringing this to our attention. 

    The RUSA program was not planned in collaboration with GODORT but has been shared by GODORT members on this channel.  I hope many of our members will attend to help build connections between RUSA and GODORT.

    The other two programs are juried programs, none of which seem to be associated with a round table or other group. Perhaps this is something we can take back to ALA as a suggestion for future conferences.

    Despite the non-obviousness of GODORT being part of so much at this conference (way to go Kian and Ben!), I'm heartened to see that government information has a strong presence in both programs and discussion groups.

    Again, thank you for bringing this to our attention and for helping to spread the word.



    ------------------------------
    Robbie Sittel
    Librarian
    She/Her/Hers
    ------------------------------

    Original Message