Browse Topics:                     A GPO & OSU Partnership
Presenter:Tanya Finchum

Team Members: Tanya Finchum, Suzanne Holcombe & Barbara Miller
 Oklahoma State University

 Browse Topics Timeline
• Developed in 1996 by the Electronic Transition Staff of the Library Programs Service
• In 1999 the University of Central Oklahoma Chambers Library assumed responsibility for management
• In July 2002, the partnership was transferred to Oklahoma State University Edmon Low Library
More about Browse Topics
• Electronic tool that can be browsed
• Individual Web pathfinders of federal government information created and maintained by volunteer contributors (webliographies)
• Topics derived from GPO's Subject Bibliographies

General Information
•  Updated topics 	= 57
•  Updates pending 	= 32
•  Topics not taken 	= 81
•  States taken		= 6 (CA, FL, NE, PA, 						SC, & WA)

*As of September 9, 2003
Access Points from GPO Access:
www.gpo.gov/gpoaccess
• From the Federal-wide Resources pull-down list, select "Federal Resources by Topic"
• From the A-Z Resource list
• Under Legislative l Executive l Judical under "Additional Federal Resources"
• Under Help under "Finding Aids"



Oklahoma State University
access point:
www.library.okstate.edu/govdocs/browsetopics/

How about a ...
www.google.com 
search using
'Browse Topics'






What's the process?
• You - agree to take a topic
• We - add to our access file as pending
• You - provide finished file/page
• We -  post page to Web & add to list 
		    of contributors on the website
• You - provide biennial updates
• We  - hope to remind you   :^)

General guidelines
• Include only Federal agency, military, or official cooperative sites
• Use concise abstracts - use descriptions taken from site when possible
• List most relevant sites first
• Submit information as an HTML document as an email attachment, following the template used by the other topics
Contributor duties:
• Provide biennial updates
• Commit to at least one year of coverage
• Check hyperlinks
• Notify BT staff if your contact information changes
Format for submission:
• HTML (preferred)
		You can use:
			*Dreamweaver
			*Netscape Composer
			*Front Page
			*Notepad
What if I don't know HTML?
• Find someone who can help you
• Use one of the topic pages already up as an example;
– open in an editor and update with your topic
– or cut and paste the code in Notepad.

Example:
• BT page for Animal Welfare
• Toolbar: View-Source(shows html code)
• Edit-Select all ; Edit-Copy
• Open your editor
• Edit-Paste (the format can be used as a guide while you change the content)
Example using Dreamweaver:
Animal Welfare becomes Foreign Country Studies..
Changes in contributor and updates:
• Each contributor updates his/her own topic and sends as an e-mail attachment to BT 
• Suggestion if taking over a topic: Copy and paste the current topic page file, make changes, and forward to BT
What we don't do:
• Link to a Browse Topics page at your own Website
• Regularly check content
• Check operational status of hyperlinks
Why become a contributor:
• Service to users of government documents
• Presence on the Web
• Can add a line on the resume and/or annual evaluation documents
• Share your knowledge of a topic!
Topics not taken (partial list):
• Agriculture
• Air Pollution
• Cancer
• Census of Population
• Economic Policy
• Financial Institutions
• Health Care
• International Trade
• Libraries
• Maps & Atlases
• Retirement
• Social Welfare
• Taxes
Interested in becoming a Browse Topics contributor? Contact one of us:
• Tanya Finchum
	ftanya@okstate.edu
• Barbara Miller
	bmiller@okstate.edu