Peeping THOMAS: A Little Look at a Big System Law Library of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Peeping THOMAS: A Little Look at a Big System Law Library of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Mar 04, 2024 133 likes •788 views

Peeping THOMAS: A Little Look at a Big System Law Library of Congress AALL Annual Meeting, 2011 Agenda Introduction and History Bob Gee Technical Challenges Tammie Nelson Providing Reference Christine Sellers

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Peeping THOMAS: A Little Look at a Big System

Law Library of Congress AALL Annual Meeting, 2011

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Agenda

  • Introduction and History –

Bob Gee

  • Technical Challenges –

Tammie Nelson

  • Providing Reference –

Christine Sellers

  • Updating and Enhancing –

Andrew Weber

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Introduction and History

  • Launched on January 5, 1995
  • Content:
  • Bill summaries: 1973 –>
  • Bill text 1989 –>
  • Congressional Record 1989 –>
  • Congressional Reports 1995 –>
  • Treaties
  • Presidential nominations
  • Law Library of Congress manages content
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Technical Challenges of THOMAS

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Challenges

  • THOMAS is a complex system
  • Setting Priorities:
  • Long-term vs Short-term
  • Limited Resources
  • Preferred Method:
  • User-driven definition of priorities
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We Have Been Listening

  • What is OpinionLab?
  • Categorizing

and Tracking Comments

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Increasing the Timeout Interval

Timeout OpinionLab Numbers:

  • Overall for 2009 – 12% on this topic
  • For 2010 and 2011 – down to 2%
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Request for Permalink

  • Permalink OpinionLab Numbers:
  • 2009 – 17%
  • 2010 – 8%
  • Currently – 5%
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Additional Examples

  • Improve Navigation
  • From 6% to 3%
  • Provide Contact Info for Members
  • From 18% to 2%
  • Providing Lists of Popular Bills
  • From 4% to 0%
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Numbers Talk

  • Areas that still cry for improvement:
  • Searching:
  • 2009 – 17%
  • 2010 – 20%
  • 2011 – 23%
  • Current Top Percentages (to date in 2011):
  • Compliment – 58%
  • Improve Searching – 23%
  • Provide Permalink – 6%
  • Visual Representation of Bill Lifecycle – 5%
  • Improve Navigation - 3%
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Numbers Talk

  • Positive feedback has increased:
  • Compliments:
  • 2009 – 19%
  • 2010 – 54%
  • 2011 – 58%
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Providing Reference for THOMAS

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THOMAS Reference – Resources

  • Phone
  • Email / Ask A Librarian
  • In-person
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
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THOMAS Reference – Questions

  • Searching for specific legislation –

especially current legislation in the news (“debt ceiling” vs. “debt limit”)

  • Amendments to legislation
  • Appropriations chart
  • Congressional Record – Daily Digest
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THOMAS Reference – Questions

  • Roll Call Votes
  • Legislation process – especially

Congressional Glossary

  • THOMAS Help & FAQ – where is my

bill?

  • Identifying problems
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Previous Bill Summary & Status Page

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Current Bill Summary & Status Page

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Previous Text of Legislation

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Current Text of Legislation

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Searching for “Fair Tax Act” in 111th Congress

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Previous Search Results

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Current Search Results

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Previous Bill Summary & Status Search Page

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Current Bill Summary & Status Search Page

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Current Browse Page

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THOMAS Tutorials

  • Introduction to THOMAS
  • Finding Bills and Resolutions (Basic)
  • Finding Bills and Resolutions (Advanced)
  • Using the Congressional Record
  • Sharing and Saving THOMAS
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THOMAS Tutorials

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Updating and Enhancing THOMAS

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January 2010

  • Bookmarking and Sharing Toolbar
  • Top Five Bills
  • Presented to the President RSS / Email
  • Contact Members of Congress
  • Tip of the Week
  • Increased Timeout Interval
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June 2010

  • Bookmarking and Sharing Toolbar

Expanded

  • Better Headers and Navigation
  • Years with Sessions of Congress
  • Homepage Enhancements
  • More Search and Browse Options
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Bookmarking and Sharing Toolbar

  • Print
  • Subscribe
  • 7 RSS / Email Alerts
  • Share/Save
  • Share
  • Email
  • Save
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Previous Bill Summary & Status Page

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Sharing to Twitter

  • r Facebook
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August 2010

  • Mobile-Friendly Homepage
  • Global Footer
  • Social Media Box
  • State Legislature Page
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Social Media Box

Global Footer

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December 2010

  • Convert GPO Access Links to FDsys
  • Search Enhancement
  • Latest Action
  • Latest Title
  • Cosponsors’ List
  • Metadata Enhancement
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2011

  • January – THOMAS on Science.gov
  • February – Constitutional Authority

Statements

  • April - @THOMASdotgov
  • May – New LOC metasearch

(www.loc.gov/search/) includes THOMAS

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June 2011

  • Tweaking THOMAS
  • Update to Social Media Box to include

@THOMASdotgov

  • Added C-SPAN2 video link for Senate
  • Added 3 most recent THOMAS In Custodia

Legis posts

  • More Dublin Core Metadata
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Under Development

  • Integrate @THOMASdotgov

into the homepage

  • Add Congressional Website Archive
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Congressional Website Archive

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Congressional Website Archive

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Congressional Website Archive

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Future Plans

  • Why are we here?
  • We want feedback from law librarians
  • How can we make it better?
  • What would you like to see?
  • Goal: new system in 2014
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SUGGESTIONS?

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Contact Information:

Robert Gee Email: rgee@loc.gov V: (202) 707-0638 Andrew Weber Email: anwe@loc.gov V: (202) 707-4758 Tammie Nelson Email: tnel@loc.gov V: (202) 707-0634 Christine Sellers Email: csel@loc.gov V: (202) 707-1708