Category Archives: What’s Up Doc / Govdocs

ProQuest announced today that the company will publish the Statistical Abstract of the United States in both print and digital formats.  The U.S. Census Bureau, which had published the annual resource, decided earlier this year to cease publication after 2012.  The Statistical Abstract has been produced since 1878.  The ProQuest announcement includes more details.

You may have seen recent  news reports about the drop in fatal automobile accidents in Nebraska to the lowest level since 1944.   Other causes of death, including homicide,  have dropped too.  The latest mortality report from the National Center for Health Statistics,  Deaths, Preliminary Data for 2010   provides a wealth of information about what we are dying of and how long we live.  Life expectancy increased from 78.6 in 2009 to 78.7 in 2010.   Interestingly, Hispanics live the longest (83.8 years for females, 78.8 for males).   The CDC/NCHS site is a wonderful source of informaton that even has a for librarians  section.  The leading causes of death are

Diseases of the heart
Malignant neoplasms
Chronic lower respiratory diseases
Cerebrovascular diseases
Accidents (unintentional injuries)
Alzheimer’s disease
Diabetes mellitus

Looking at this list reminds me that although death comes to all of us, lifestyle can affect the length and quality of life.   I’m planning to eat more fish, exercise more, and buckle up every time I get into the car.

At the NLC reference desk we get chats, emails and calls fairly often from businesses looking for online copies of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

Since 1986 Congress has passed three acts relating to illegal immigration, resulting in requirements that employers  only hire individuals who may legally work in the U.S.  To comply with the law employers must verify the identity and employment authorization of everyone they hire, complete and retain a Form I-9, and refrain from discriminating against individuals on the basis of national origin or citizenship.   There are sanctions for employers who do not comply.   Needless to say this is a challenge,   and  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has created a 66-page Handbook for Employers .  The Handbook  includes detailed intructions for filling out the form  and for photocopying and retaining forms and supporting documentation.  Information on penalties for unlawful descrimination, instructions for farm labor recruiters,  and a Question & Answer section are also included.  Another section explains using  E-Verify, the web-based verification companion to Form I-9.   Employers must create a “case” in E-Verify for each new hire.

Downloadable English and Spanish versions of Form I-9 and the Handbook for Employers are available on the  USCIS website .  Print forms and Handbooks can be requested by calling 1-800-870-3676.  The Library Commission has a print copy of the Handbook available for loan by contacting us at nlc.ask@nebraska.gov or calling 800-307-2665 (Nebraska only) or 402-471-4016.

The League of Women Voters of Nebraska (LWVNE) has been “happily overwhelmed” with orders for voter information materials since libraries and media centers were emailed about them last Friday.   All orders placed prior to October 26, 2011, will be filled as soon as possible as promised.  You may continue to place orders and the League will fill them to the extent materials are still available.  Scanned images of both the VOTE brochure and the Voting Rights brochure have also been added to the LWVNE Web site  for you to download for your use.  If you have any questions about your order or the materials, please contact the League at 402-475-1411.

http://lwv-ne.org/files/vote-brochure-1-4.pdf

http://lwv-ne.org/files/vote-brochure-5-7.pdf

http://lwv-ne.org/files/vote-brochure-upper-outside.pdf

http://lwv-ne.org/files/vote-brochure-lower-outside.pdf

http://lwv-ne.org/files/voting-rights-brochure-inside.pdf

http://lwv-ne.org/files/voting-rights-brochure-outside.pdf

Governor  Dave Heineman  announced today that he will call a special legislative session of the Nebraska Legislature to consider legislation regarding the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.  The session will begin Nov. 1.   Presumably floor debates will be streamed by Nebraska Educational Telecommunications.   Watch the Legislature’s  session information website for updates.  http://nebraskalegislature.gov/session/session_info.php  .

With all the controversy about the Keystone XL pipeline swirling in the state,  people following the debate may be interested in these state and federal documents available online.

The 1986 edition of the Groundwater Atlas of Nebraska   has been added to the state epubs collection.   The atlas, published by the UNL Conservation and Survey Division (now part of the School of Natural Resources)  features maps and narrative showing groundwater reservoirs, rock formations, transmissivity, depth to water, dissolved solids, irrigation, etc.

And of course the final environmental impact statement on the pipeline is available on the U.S. Department of State website.  At a daunting 8 volumes it is not for the faint of heart, but a 27-page executive summary is also available.