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Entry bubble Your Wish is My Blog Topic

By: Joanne | May 13, 2008 | Category: General

hand holding a sign that says, It’s a special day—mark your calendar. What’s so special about it? Today the federal government isn’t telling you what to do and how to do it, but instead is asking what interests you and what you’d like us to do.

Take a moment to pinch yourself so you can be sure you’re not dreaming. I’ll wait.

Here’s the thing. We’ve got this blog and a team of bloggers, and we want our work to benefit you. Give us your ideas of how you’d like us to use this blog to provide you with information, services or a place to express your opinions—we’re ready to experiment.

We’re really impressed with how the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has used their blog to engage their readers. The Transportation Security Administration is the agency that’s in charge of airport security, among other things. The public has been really vocal on the TSA blog, and TSA is getting ideas and feedback about airport security operations that they’ve been able to use to make changes and improve service.

I can’t promise that we can implement your every suggestion. There’s nothing I can do about having to remove your shoes at the airport—believe me, I wish there was! I can promise that we read all of your ideas and use them to guide us in our blogging. We can also share your ideas with other federal government bloggers and web managers.

| Comments [22] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: 2.0  blog  conversation  government  innovation  joanne  topics  web 

 

Entry bubble Government Practices Disaster Response

By: Jake | May 12, 2008 | Category: General

I didn't get there by helicopter, but I did participate in the government's Continuity of Operations (COOP as we call it) exercise last week. Instead of choppering in, I drove out to our COOP location in Virginia at 6 in the morning to get all kinds of crazy scenarios thrown at me.Emergency Response Tools

My task during the exercise was to maintain basic operations at the National Contact Center, where citizens call for information about government programs and services. I also monitored fake news broadcasts and press releases to keep agents aware of what was going on so they could handle calls, emails and web chats appropriately. Most importantly, I surveyed the center to tell us what the public was asking about.

The exercise involved terrorist attacks in the Pacific Northwest, a hurricane bearing down on the Mid-Atlantic and a potential terrorist threat to DC, so I was busy. But I wasn't as busy as I was during Hurricane Katrina.

During Katrina and its aftermath the contact center got hundreds of thousands of inquiries from survivors and their families looking for assistance and those looking for victims. It was hard to keep up with the answers to these questions. So each day began with an inter-agency call, where I told Federal web managers what people were asking us about in the contact center so they could prepare appropriate services. Though I did what I could, the government knows its response to Katrina can be improved. That's one reason the federal government did such a massive exercise this year (COOP is done every year).

Even though in a real emergency you don't know what or whom you will and won't have available, I noticed a lot of collaboration between agencies during this exercise. I also noticed a lot of backup at agencies with people in regional offices able to handle primary functions usually done in the D.C. area. Of course there were some hiccups. Our emergency phone alert system which is supposed to call and email us when a COOP situation is enacted never chimed in on my office cell phone.

I got to give feedback at the end of the exercise and now it is your turn. How can the Federal government improve response during emergencies? Some people have chimed in with some interesting ideas, so be sure to read what they are saying in the comment section.

| Comments [7] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: emergencies  government  hurricanes  jake 

 

Entry bubble Ask a Librarian

By: Nicole | April 18, 2008 | Category: General

BabyMany Gov Gab regulars might know that our Friday blogger, Sommer, has been expecting her first baby. Her son, Andrew, arrived late Wednesday night, and Sommer will be spending the next few months enjoying his company (and changing his diapers!).

In the meantime, I’m thrilled to be your temporary Friday blogger. I’m looking forward to sharing tidbits of information and pointing you to government services in your area. For example, did you know that this week is National Library Week? It’s true. And it seems like the perfect time to remind you that many libraries have government publications, like the Consumer Action Handbook, available in their reference sections.

Library ShelfNational Library Week is designed to promote library use and support, and I feel more than qualified to help. Even as a kid, I loved to read. In fact, on a soggy spring day in fourth grade, I managed to get myself locked in a public library after closing time. Boy did that emergency exit alarm cause a ruckus.

Despite this slightly traumatic experience, I’ve decided to celebrate National Library Week by highlighting two free online services. First, "Ask a Government Information Librarian" gives you immediate access (by chat or e-mail) to librarians who are experts in government information and resources. Want to know more about the Presidential election process or where to get a passport form? Want to ask about the history of the Social Security Administration? Go ahead. Test their knowledge. If you have a more detailed research question, "Ask a Reference Librarian" gives you access to researchers at the Library of Congress.

If you’re looking for more information about libraries across the country, don’t forget to check out USA.gov’s Libraries page, which lists government and public libraries and allows you to locate the ones closest to you.

| Comments [4] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: congress  government  information  library  reference  research 

 

Entry bubble Government in the Web 2.0 Age

By: Sommer | April 11, 2008 | Category: General

 the word connect spelled out with computer keyboard keys

Since you’re reading this blog you know that government is somewhat active in the social media arena. Here at GSA's Office of Citizen Services, we’re really having fun with this new and exciting way to communicate with the American public. We have very supportive leadership that encourages us to be innovative and creative and to reach out to you in a way that’s most convenient for you rather than making you come to us and conform to the bureaucracy.

However, some government agencies don’t have the same flexibility we do. A lot of agencies are afraid of losing control of their information and content and many don't understand if and how using social media tools can advance their agency missions.

So, America, I pose a question to you… What do you think of government agencies using social media tools like blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts, YouTube, Flickr, widgets, and microblogs to reach out and give you information? Is it good? Bad? Are there ways you’d like the government to provide information that we haven’t thought of or addressed yet? After all, we’re public servants and we’re here to serve, so let us know what you want and need.

| Comments [19] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: blogging  conversation  government  media  rssfeeds  social  sommer  web2.0 

 

Entry bubble Political Activity for Federal Employees (The Hatch Act)

By: Sommer | February 01, 2008 | Category: General

The 2008 presidential election is a really big deal for our country. It’s nice to see so many people turning out for the primaries.

Under the Hatch Act, though, federal, state, and local employees need to use some caution during the campaigning and election process, since they are only allowed to participate in limited activities. Under new laws, most federal employees can volunteer and contribute to the election process, but some restrictions still remain.

Remember that employees of certain federal agencies may not participate in any partisan political activities.

All federal employees may:

  • Register and vote as they choose
  • Assist in voter registration drives
  • Express opinions about candidates and issues
  • Contribute money to political organizations
  • Attend political rallies and meetings
  • Sign nominating petitions
  • Campaign for or against referendum questions, constitutional amendments, municipal ordinances
  • Join political clubs or parties

Federal employees may never:

  • Use official authority or influence to interfere with an election
  • Solicit or discourage political activity of anyone with business before the agency
  • Solicit, accept, or receive political contributions
  • Engage in political activity while on duty, in a government office, while wearing an official uniform, or while using a government vehicle (This includes sending political emails from your government computer and email account.)
  • Become a candidate in a partisan election

If you violate the Hatch Act you could lose your job.  Make sure you fully understand your rights under this legislation before taking up a political cause. 

Happy Groundhog Day tomorrow! Pray that Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t see his shadow – I’m ready for spring!!

| Comments [2] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: election  employee  federal  government  hatchact  sommer  vote 

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