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June 20, 2006

The Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract - upgraded to work with Excel!

Filed under: Electronic resources, Government information, Statistics & data - journalismlibrary @

The Statistical Abstract has been published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census since 1878. It is an excellent first stop for many statistical needs, since it covers a wide variety of topics and compiles data from government as well as non-governmental sources (including trade associations).

While the Stat Abstract was formerly available on the Census site in PDF format, the 2006 edition has been enhanced to work with Microsoft Excel, making it that much easier to generate charts and graphs.

Interested in earlier editions of the Stat Abstract? From the page above, follow the link labeled “Earlier Editions.” (Note that these are still in PDF format.)

June 15, 2006

A comic book that teaches you about Fair Use

Filed under: Electronic resources, Broadcast journalism, FAQ, Copyright and fair use - journalismlibrary @

The Duke University Center for the Study of the Public Domain has produced a comic book that explains how copyright restrictions and the principle of fair use apply to documentary filmmakers. The information is presented in an entertaining format, with clear and easy to follow examples. You can view the comic book online, download it, order hard copies on Amazon. Academic users can also order in bulk at a reduced price (see website for details).

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