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Government agencies
454
GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION
QUARTERLY
Vol.
l/No.
4/1984
Oboler was known in library circles as an earnest and insightful defender of intellectual freedom. His book centers around the potential of computers and telecommunications to interfere with facets of intellectual freedom in ways which have been unforeseen or ignored in the rapidly changing complexities of technology. Obler feels that librarians and others dealing with the storage, retrieval, and dissemination of machine-stored data need to define their role in the process rather than be overly concerned with the future form of the traditional library. The possibilities of invading the privacy of individuals, intentionally or unintentionally, are numerous due to the ability of computers to store and process large amounts of information. Problems with computer security are well known as stories of novice high school students gaining access to supposedly “secure” data bases and other more sinister problems are reportedly regularly in the press. The author sees international problems as well. Computer-created files and telecommunications technology are already problems in countries which do not have the American traditions of freedom of information. Much of the book is disjointed as Oboler jumps from concern to concern as if the reader were listening to someone trying to relay as much information as possible in a short period of time. His thoughts seem to keep jumping back to something that he has forgotten to relate. This drawback does make it difficult for the reader to maintain continuity, at times. The author quotes extensively from others who have written on the various topics which he is trying to discuss. Numerous references are provided which gives the reader an excellent opportunity to pursue particular areas of interest which already exists or may be discovered. Although the emphasis is on libraries, attention is paid to other areas of the computer and telecommunications technology which have, or may, impinge upon intellectual freedom. International communications, copyright, information utilities, computer-assisted instruction, and the recent UNESCO efforts at redefining “freedom of the press" are all covered. The emphasis remains on the dangers to the freedom of intellectual thought and all have some ramifications for libraries, especially if one subscribes to the theory that the library of the future is not yet well defined. If nothing else, Oboler has provided considerable food for thought. Those concerned with intellectual freedom, the future of libraries, or, hopefully, both. would do well to spend some time reading (and rereading) this book.
Government
Agencies
Edited by Donald R. Whitnah Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1983, 683 pages, $49.95 (The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Institutions, No. 7) ISBN o-313-22017-4. LC 82-15815. Reviewed
by Philip Van De Voorde
Philip Van De Voorde is Head of Government University Library, Ames, Iowa 50011.
Publications
at the Iowa State
Reviews
455
The stated purpose of stimulating an interest in the study of the federal government and showing the roles it plays in the lives of its citizens is met in this delightfully well written manual of histories of various government agencies. It also purports to provide the general reader with a manual which shows the purposes and programs of the agencies. The emphases highlighted the agencies’ achievements, failures, squabbles, programs, support, trends, and policies. The volume consists of approximately 120 four to five page agency histories arranged in alphabetical order by the official name of the agency following the form of entry used in the 1981-82 United States Government Manual. Each entry ends with a list of sources for additional information. There were some disappointments in the selection of agencies. The book claims to include the vast majority of current agencies plus a select group of former agencies. Such a title, with the amount of material provided, would need to be a multi-volume work. The list of independent establishments and government corporations provides a measure of the completeness of this title; Whitnah’s compilation includes only 31 of the 56 listed in the 1983-84 United States Government Manual. A book which aims to appeal to the general reader should include the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Administration on Aging, the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Farmers Home Administration. Some other surprising omissions of agencies with interesting histories and a significant effect upon the country are the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Economic Development Administration, the Soil Conservation Service, and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, among many others. The histories were written for the general reader, thus, providing a very interesting book. There is very little poor writing, error, or the expression of partisan political views. There are numerous “see” references from the forms of entry not used to the forms used. One feature which the reviewer did not find helpful was the presence of asterisks in the text to indicate those agencies for which a history was written; the asterisks were distracting, with one error noted. The appendices provide a chronology of the establishment of the agencies covered, a genealogy showing the various names by which they were known, a list called “umbrella agencies,” which shows the subordinate relations of many of the agencies, and a listing of the agencies by the broad categories of agency service, e.g., agencies dealing with communications. There is also an index of personal and corporate names. The book is a valuable addition to government publications reference sources. Frequently, users want more than can be found in the United States Government Manual, but do not want to do research to garner their information. Then, if users wish more information, they have a list of references at the end of the articles. The reviewer can only wish for additional volumes which will cover more agencies with the same quality as this book. Until such time as these additional volumes may appear, the searcher for agencies not covered will need to continue to look in such sources as the GAO reports, congressional hearings, the Praeger Library of U.S. government departments and agencies, and the AMS Press’s reprints of the Service monographs of the United States government.
GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION
QUARTERLY
Vol.
l/No.
4/1984
Oboler was known in library circles as an earnest and insightful defender of intellectual freedom. His book centers around the potential of computers and telecommunications to interfere with facets of intellectual freedom in ways which have been unforeseen or ignored in the rapidly changing complexities of technology. Obler feels that librarians and others dealing with the storage, retrieval, and dissemination of machine-stored data need to define their role in the process rather than be overly concerned with the future form of the traditional library. The possibilities of invading the privacy of individuals, intentionally or unintentionally, are numerous due to the ability of computers to store and process large amounts of information. Problems with computer security are well known as stories of novice high school students gaining access to supposedly “secure” data bases and other more sinister problems are reportedly regularly in the press. The author sees international problems as well. Computer-created files and telecommunications technology are already problems in countries which do not have the American traditions of freedom of information. Much of the book is disjointed as Oboler jumps from concern to concern as if the reader were listening to someone trying to relay as much information as possible in a short period of time. His thoughts seem to keep jumping back to something that he has forgotten to relate. This drawback does make it difficult for the reader to maintain continuity, at times. The author quotes extensively from others who have written on the various topics which he is trying to discuss. Numerous references are provided which gives the reader an excellent opportunity to pursue particular areas of interest which already exists or may be discovered. Although the emphasis is on libraries, attention is paid to other areas of the computer and telecommunications technology which have, or may, impinge upon intellectual freedom. International communications, copyright, information utilities, computer-assisted instruction, and the recent UNESCO efforts at redefining “freedom of the press" are all covered. The emphasis remains on the dangers to the freedom of intellectual thought and all have some ramifications for libraries, especially if one subscribes to the theory that the library of the future is not yet well defined. If nothing else, Oboler has provided considerable food for thought. Those concerned with intellectual freedom, the future of libraries, or, hopefully, both. would do well to spend some time reading (and rereading) this book.
Government
Agencies
Edited by Donald R. Whitnah Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1983, 683 pages, $49.95 (The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Institutions, No. 7) ISBN o-313-22017-4. LC 82-15815. Reviewed
by Philip Van De Voorde
Philip Van De Voorde is Head of Government University Library, Ames, Iowa 50011.
Publications
at the Iowa State
Reviews
455
The stated purpose of stimulating an interest in the study of the federal government and showing the roles it plays in the lives of its citizens is met in this delightfully well written manual of histories of various government agencies. It also purports to provide the general reader with a manual which shows the purposes and programs of the agencies. The emphases highlighted the agencies’ achievements, failures, squabbles, programs, support, trends, and policies. The volume consists of approximately 120 four to five page agency histories arranged in alphabetical order by the official name of the agency following the form of entry used in the 1981-82 United States Government Manual. Each entry ends with a list of sources for additional information. There were some disappointments in the selection of agencies. The book claims to include the vast majority of current agencies plus a select group of former agencies. Such a title, with the amount of material provided, would need to be a multi-volume work. The list of independent establishments and government corporations provides a measure of the completeness of this title; Whitnah’s compilation includes only 31 of the 56 listed in the 1983-84 United States Government Manual. A book which aims to appeal to the general reader should include the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Administration on Aging, the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Farmers Home Administration. Some other surprising omissions of agencies with interesting histories and a significant effect upon the country are the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Economic Development Administration, the Soil Conservation Service, and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, among many others. The histories were written for the general reader, thus, providing a very interesting book. There is very little poor writing, error, or the expression of partisan political views. There are numerous “see” references from the forms of entry not used to the forms used. One feature which the reviewer did not find helpful was the presence of asterisks in the text to indicate those agencies for which a history was written; the asterisks were distracting, with one error noted. The appendices provide a chronology of the establishment of the agencies covered, a genealogy showing the various names by which they were known, a list called “umbrella agencies,” which shows the subordinate relations of many of the agencies, and a listing of the agencies by the broad categories of agency service, e.g., agencies dealing with communications. There is also an index of personal and corporate names. The book is a valuable addition to government publications reference sources. Frequently, users want more than can be found in the United States Government Manual, but do not want to do research to garner their information. Then, if users wish more information, they have a list of references at the end of the articles. The reviewer can only wish for additional volumes which will cover more agencies with the same quality as this book. Until such time as these additional volumes may appear, the searcher for agencies not covered will need to continue to look in such sources as the GAO reports, congressional hearings, the Praeger Library of U.S. government departments and agencies, and the AMS Press’s reprints of the Service monographs of the United States government.