University Libraries

By Scott N. West

Here is a little taste of items recently received into the University Libraries' government documents (govdocs) collection:

The Great War: U.S. Army Art

• Sarah G. Forgey, general editor; Pablo Jimenez-Reyes, art photographer; Gene Snyder, layout and design
• Center of Military History, U.S. Army (2018)
• D 114.2:AR 7/5

If any book about war could be described as beautiful, it’s this collection of paintings dealing with World War I. Organized into nine sections — eight artists and a collection of posters — it covers everything from propaganda to vivid detailings of the horrors of this first world-encompassing conflict.

Available in print.

The Great War: U.S. Army Artifacts 

• Sarah G. Forgey, general editor; Alan T. Bogan, Carrie M. Gabaree, Paul M. Miller, and Brian F. Neumann, contributors; Pablo Jimenez-Reyes, photographer; Gene Snyder, layout and design 
• Center of Military History, United States Army (2018)
• D 114.2:AR 7/6

This is a companion piece to The Great War: U.S. Army Art. This time, the editors put together a remarkable collection of photographs detailing World War I artifacts. The collection is divided into seven sections: Trench Warfare, Wartime Innovations, Medical Support, Logistics, AEF Personnel, Support by the Nation, and Trench Art.

Available in print.

The State of Climate Science and Why It Matters

• Hearing before the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives (Feb. 13, 2019)
• Y 4.SCI 2:116-1

Science is in the House. This hearing has the actual charter wherein you can find that the purpose is to “provide a big-picture assessment of the current state of climate science. The Committee will receive expert testimony on recently published significant climate reports and discuss report findings that include the physical mechanisms of climate change, risks to human society at different levels of warming, and the need for adaptation and mitigation.” An impressive list of witnesses — representing the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future (Cornell University), the Rutgers Institute of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, the Niskanen Center, and the Center for Health and the Global Environment (University of Washington) — provide the key testimony.

Available in print and online.

Hearing with Michael Cohen, Former Attorney to President Donald Trump

• Hearing before the Committee on Oversight and Reform, U.S. House of Representatives  (Feb. 27, 2019)
• Y 4.OV 2:116-03

Remember simpler times when the biggest scandal of a day was a payoff to a porn star? This hearing is the much-publicized testimony of President Trump’s longtime attorney, Michael Cohen. This electronic content also includes the exhibits referenced during the hearing. 

Available in print and online.

Exploring Native American Subsistence Rights and International Treaties 

• Hearing before the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Senate (Oct. 31, 2017)
• Y 4.C 73/7:S.HRG.115-570

Contemporary Americans may think treaties with First Nation Americans are a thing of the past, but they are still an important aspect of indigenous life. This hearing discusses the subsistence rights that are vital to the survival of indigenous communities. This is especially true of those communities living in extreme conditions. Sen. Dan Sullivan (Alaska), chair, explains that “aboriginal subsistence whaling … is critical to the food security and cultural fabric of Alaska’s North Slope and Bering Strait communities.” Moreover, he explains that this whale harvest is “sustainable and noncommercial.” The challenge is that these rights are being negotiated with the International Whaling Commission.

Available in print and online.

Identifying Innovative Practices and Technology in Health Care

• Hearing before the Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives (April 26, 2018)
• Y 4.W 36:115-HL 05

This hearing is of particular interest in any discussion of Medicare. In fact, Rep. Peter Roskam (Illinois), the chair, explains that despite the impact of health care innovation over the last few few decades, “many of these cutting-edge ideas have failed to be used to their full potential” in the Medicare program. The subcommittee is particularly interested in how innovation can modernize Medicare. Witnesses came from the Breakthrough Care Center at DuPage Medical Group, Zocdoc, Zipnosis, the Ohio Health Information Partnership, and Aledade.

Available in print.

Open Hearing on Foreign Influence Operations’ Use of Social Media Platforms (Company Witnesses)

• Hearing before the Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate (Sept. 5, 2018)
• Y 4.IN 8/19:S.HRG.115-460

Sen. Richard Burr (North Carolina), chair, explains that the purpose of this hearing was “to discuss the role that social media plays in the execution of foreign influence operations. In the past, we’ve used terms like misinformation and divisive content to describe this activity. Now as we go into our fourth and final hearing on this subject, I think it’s important that we be precise and candid with our language, because that’s what the significance of this threat demands. We need to be precise about the foreign actors we’re talking about, we need to be precise about the consequences of not acting, and we need to be candid about where responsibility for solving this problem lies.” It would be difficult to find a more high-profile witness list than Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, and Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.

Available in print and online.

Ringed by Fire: U.S. Marines and the Siege of Khe Sanh, 21 January–9 July 1968

• Retired Col. Richard D. Camp with Lt. Col. Leonard A. Blasiol
• Marines in the Vietnam War Commemorative Series
• D 214.511/3:K 52/2

I added this book for personal reasons as my father served at Khe Sanh during his tenure in the U.S. Marine Corps. In his words, “a little place called LZ Stud. Good times.” The siege is one of the most memorable events of the Vietnam war. Khe Sanh itself was viewed as critically important to the war effort. The book provides a vivid description of the events during this seven-month period. 

Available in print.

Sixty Years of NASA Leadership in Human Space Exploration: Past, Present and Future

• Hearing before the Subcommittee on Space of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives (Sept. 26, 2018)
• Y 4.SCI 2: 115-74

The official purpose of this hearing was to “provide NASA and Center Directors with significant Human Spaceflight responsibilities the opportunity to describe how they are positioning their respective centers to enable NASA to execute successfully a sustainable human exploration program that mitigates the negative impacts experienced in the course of prior human spaceflight program transitions.” Rep. Brian Babin (Texas), chair, is clearly enthusiastic about future opportunities for space exploration; a witness list that includes the associate administrator of the NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and the directors of Johnson, Marshall and Kennedy space centers provides an interesting glimpse into this possibility.

Available in print and online.

Urban Air Mobility — Are Flying Cars Ready for Take-Off?

• Hearing before the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives (July 24, 2018)
• Y 4.SCI 2:115-71

This hearing focused on a wide range of topics related to urban air mobility including drones (both delivery and personal-usage) as well as the inevitable introduction of flying cars. The long witness list included representatives from NASA, the co-chair of the National Research Council on Autonomy Research for Civilian Aviation, Uber Aviation Programs, Bell Technology and Innovation, and the co-founder of Terrafugia (creators of the Transition, a personal flying car).

Available in print.

— Scott N. West is an information resources specialist in the University Libraries.

Postscript: In May 2019, Roesch Library celebrated 50 years in the Federal Depository Library Program.