The Importance of Government Information


It’s often overlooked that Langsdale is a participant in the Federal Depository Library Program. I thought I’d highlight a number of types of information that the country is unable to access while the shutdown continues and their importance. As you’ll see there really is a great deal of information that is unavailable.

1) The census

Census information can be used for a wide variety of purposes. In addition to raw data about the population, the census collects information about income, demographics and a wide variety of other statistics that can help businesses as well as state and local governments.

2) Resources from the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress has an amazing amount of historic information, including papers of some of the earliest presidents, audio recordings, and a wealth of photographs. All of which is inaccessible both in person and online during the shutdown.

3) The Bureau of Labor Statistics

Finally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is unable to collect or publish data. Monthly reports on employment released by the bureau are a commonly used source of information to help monitor the health of the nation’s economy and enable businesses to plan for the future.


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