Government Documents and Information

Guide to Government Documents and Information

Hot Topics M-Z

This page contains topics beginning with M-Z.  For topics starting with A-L, see Hot Topics A-L.   Inclusion of a site below does not mean that OSU Libraries or The Ohio State University endorse the sites or the information they contain. 

 

Continues Hot Topics (Topics A-L)

M  Mo  N  O  P  Po  Q  R  S  Sc  T  U  V  W   X  Y  Z

 

Maps

  • MapQuest.  Driving directions.
  • The National Map. (U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey)  Collaborative effort among the USGS and other Federal, State, and local partners with many uses ranging from recreation to scientific analysis to emergency response with aerial photographs, elevation information, geographic names, hydrography, boundaries, transportation networks, locations of structures, and land cover data. The site includes links to the National Atlas, an online atlas formerly published by the United States of the Department of the Interior, historical maps, USGS programs, news, and events, etc.
  • Topographic Map Symbols. (U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey) 
  • US Map Collection:  The Fifty States of United States of America. (GISGeography.com)  Links to selected maps of the fifty states.
  • USGS Store. (U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey)  Links to maps, research reports, educational materials, etc. from the USGS.  
  • Worldatlas. (Graphic Maps)  Links to maps of Africa, Antarctica, Arctic, Asia, Europe, Australia and Oceania, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean, Middle East, South America, etc.
  • See – Maps:  Resources Related to Finding Information Resources for Maps and Cartography.  Information OSUL map collections,  Thompson Library Gardner Family Map Room and the Orton Memorial Library of Geology

 

Marriage Certificates, obtaining copies – See Vital Statistics

 

Measles – See Health

 

Medicaid – See Insurance

 

Medicare – See Insurance

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Money

  • Building Your Savings?:  Start with Small Goals.  Washington, D.C.:  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 2019.  Tips, worksheets, etc. to assist with saving money. 
  • Compound Interest Calculator. (moneygeek) Calculate the impact of compound interest over time on savings. 
  • Consumer Protection. (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC))  FDIC resources to educate and protect consumers, revitalize communities, and promote compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act and fair lending laws. Topics covered include banking and your money, consumer financial privacy, financial education and literacy, identity theft and fraud. 
  • Debt Getting in Your Way?:  Get a Handle on it.  Washington, D.C.:  Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, 2017.  Tools to assist in managing debt. 
  • Exchange Rates. (OANDA Corporation)  Contains information on current exchange rates, currency converters, etc.
  • Federalresveeducation.org. (Federal Reserve)  Fiscal information with emphasis on personal finance, banking, money, economics, etc. for use by teachers, parents and the general public.   Has lesson plans, activities, games, etc. geared for children K-12. 
  • Financial Education Clearinghouse – For Educators. (Washington State. Department of Financial Institutions. Financial Education Clearinghouse)  Personal finance curriculum and resources for Elementary school  through College.  Includes DVDs, games, etc.  Many of the resources listed are free.   
  • Financial Literacy. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. University Libraries)  Guide detailing financial literacy resources covering such topics as Credit and Loans, Investing, College Debt, etc.  Includes links to government web sites, etc.  Some of the information is University of Illinois specific, but the titles listed in the books section should be available at other libraries, so check your local library for holding information.  Target audience:  College students. 
  • Financial Literacy. (U.S. Department of the Treasury. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency)  Provides information on financial literacy resources, issues and events that are important to bankers, organizations, and consumers of all ages.  The directory includes descriptions and contact information for a sampling of organizations that have undertaken financial literacy initiatives as a primary mission, government programs, fact sheets, newsletters, conference materials, publications, and links to Web sites.  The Youth Programs section offers resources for use in teaching kids various money management issues. 
  • A Financial Literacy Handbook for All Life Stages. (moneygeek)  Financial stratagies for managing money, covering major expenses, etc. based on broad age groupings.  Starting with teens and moving thru retirement.  Includes a section on financial literacy for women.  Has links to additional resources for most sections.
  • Focus on Finances:  Preparing for Your Future.   Washington, D.C.:  Federal Trade Commission, April 2013.  Geared towards young adults.  Covers various consumer issues such as credit, identity theft, and buying a car. 
  • Grades K-12 Financial Literacy Resources. (California Department of Education)  Links to programs that are appropriate for use in the classroom or at home as a resource for students, teachers, and parents …. 
  • A Guide to Your First Credit Card. (Moneygeek) Geared towards college student, but useful information for all people applying for a credit card.  Discusses of the pros and cons of credit cards, explains different types of cards available, provides definitions of terms used by credit card companies, etc. 
  • How to Rebuild Your Credit.  Iowa City, Iowa:  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 2021.  Steps to take or not take to rebuild your credit. 
  • Information for the Individual Investor. (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy)  Web site provided by the SEC to help address problems and questions of investors.  Available in Spanish also. 
  • Lost or Stolen Credit, ATM, and Debit Cards.  Federal Trade Commission.  Washington, D.C.: Federal Trade Commission, August 2012.  What to do if your credit, ATM, or debit card is lost or stolen.  Proactive steps to take to protect your credit information, etc.
  • Money as You Grow:  20 Things Kids Need to Know to Live Financially Smart Lives. (President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability)  Offers age specific sections with information and activities on money matters.
  • My Credit Union.gov. (NCUA – National Credit Union Administration)  Information on a diverse array of financial matters includes a mortgage calculator, personal budgeting worksheets, tips on identity theft prevention, financial literacy for children-seniors including lesson plans for teachers.
  • mymoney.gov. (The Financial Literacy and Education Commission)  U.S. government's website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics of handling their finances.
  • mymoney.gov - Resources for Youth. (The Financial Literacy and Education Commission)   Games, fun activities, websites, video games, and information about money for kids and teens. 
  • Practical Money Skills for Life. (VISA/Educators Advisory Council)  Educational games that teach personal finance and money management skills to students of every age … Some are available in both Spanish and English.  Some have aps for Android phones and tablets.   There is a link for Educators giving lesson plans for pre-K through College, and special needs, plus other informative and useful resources.
  • Resources by topic:  Games for Kids. (Washington State. Department of Financial Institutions. Financial Education Clearinghouse)  Online games and simulations that teach kids about credit management, buying a car, paying for college, budgeting, saving and investing.
  • Savings Goal Calculator. (CreditDonkey) Information on setting savings goals, tools to assist with obtaining these goals, and information on setting a budget.
  • Smart About Money. (National Endowment for Financial Education)  Web site has budgeting tools, and information on debt management, savings, credit cards, etc.   40 Money Management Tips Every College Student Should Know is aimed specifically at College students, while Your Spending, Your Savings, Your FutureA Beginner's Guide to Financial Readiness is geared for the general public.
  • Starting & Managing a Business. (U.S. Small Business Administration)  Information on starting a business including creating business plans, licensing and permits, business laws and regulations, taxes, health care /health insurance, business  management, etc.  
  • Tools and Calculators for Investors. (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)  SEC provided tools and calculators to help with investment decisions.
  • TreasuryDirectKids. (U.S. Department of Treasury)  Information on public debt, savings and investing, securities, bonds, etc.  Geared for children, but useful for all ages with links to treasury productions such as savings bonds, etc.  
  • Understand Your Credit. (Credit Card Insider)  Aimed at college students and young adults just starting out, gives information on such topics as building credit, credit card basics, debt management, credit reports and scores, identity theft and fraud, and more.
  • . Searchable guide to government information and services on a wide array of topics.  Contains resources for teachers, children and teens.  Some of the content is available in Spanish.
  • See also Credit Reports
  • See also Economics
  • See also Savings Bonds
  • See also Stock Exchanges

 

Monkey Pox – See Health

 

Motor Vehicle Titling and Registration

 

Mumps – See Health

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Natural Disasters

 

News

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Occupations – See Employment

 

Opioid Epidemic

  • Opioid Epidemic in Ohio – Resources and Related Articles. (OSU Extension)  Listing of resource and articles on the opioid crisis compiled by the Ohio State University Extension.  
  • Start Talking! Building a Drug-Free Future. (State of Ohio) Gives tips and tools for parents, educators and community leaders aimed at preventing drug use among children. 
  • What is the U.S. Opioid Epidemic? (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)  Information about the opioid crisis including statistics, videos, laws, overdose prevention, etc.
  • See also Health

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Patents

 

Passports/Visas

 

Personal Safety

 

Pest Control

  • Bed Bugs. (California Department of Public Health)
  • Bed Bugs: Information, Resources & Management. (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene)  [Note information available in Spanish, etc.]
  • Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. (United States Department of Agriculture. National Agricultural Library. National Invasive Species Information Center)
  • Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force.  Collaborative effort between local governments, health departments, social service agencies, pest control professionals, landlord and tenant rights groups, fire departments, the Ohio Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health, and the Ohio State University Extension to provide Franklin County with the latest information on bed bugs. Some of the links provided are available in Spanish.
  • Controlling Rodents and Regulating Rodenticides. (United States Environmental Protection Agency)  Information on the control and eradication of mice and rats.  Also available in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean
  • Final Report and Recommendations to the Governor and Ohio General Assembly.  Ohio Bed Bug Workgroup.   Columbus, Ohio:  Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Bed Bug Workgroup, 2011, 34p.
  • Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite -- your wallet. (Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Division of Consumer & Business Education)
  • Healthy Housing Reference Manual.  Chapter 4:  Disease Vectors and Pests. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)  Covers general control methods for rodents such as mice and rats, cockroaches, fleas, etc.
  • Household Pest Control. (Oklahoma State University. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service)  Covers pest control basics for ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas, etc. 
  • Pesticides:  Controlling Pests. (EPA)
  • Preventing Rats on Your Property:  A Guide for Property Owners and Tenants. (New York City)  English version    Spanish version    Chinese version

 

Phishing

 

Plagiarism

  • Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism Videos. (The Ohio State University. Knowledge Bank)  a series of videos developed to explain plagiarism to students.  There are three versions varying from just over five minutes to just under nine.  Need either RealPlayer video link, or Windows video link, or Flash video link.
  • Citation Help:  Resources for Citation Style Guides and Citation Software Management. (The Ohio State University. University Libraries) 
  • Plagiarism. (The Ohio State University. Copyright Resources Center)  General overview of the topic with links to other resources on plagiarism. 
  • Plagiarism. (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Writing Center)
  • Plagiarism:  What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It. (Indiana University. Writing Tutorial Services) 
  • Plagiarism Information. (Purdue University Global - Writing Center)
  • See also Copyrights

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Postal Services

  • FindTheData - Find Postal Codes. (Graphiq, Inc.)  Covers most of the countries in the world.  Includes details when available on place name, community, state, county/province, country and maps.
  • Look up a ZIP Code. (United States Postal Service)  Look up ZIP Codes™ by street address, city, and state. Or, find all ZIP Codes™ within a city and state, etc.
  • Official USPS Abbreviations. (United States Postal Service)  Abbreviation lists organized by states, street suffixes, and secondary units.
  • Postal Code Search. (GlobeFeed.com)  Links to 39 countries’ “Postal Code Lookup” applications. 

 

Privacy Issues

 

Procurement, Government

  • Business With the State. (Ohio)
  • Doing Business with GSA:  Quick Guide2013.  Washington, D.C.:  GSA, Office of Small Business Utilization, 2013.  Contacting with the Federal Government – General Service Administration.  Spanish.
  • For Public Sale!:  Used Federal Government Personal Property.  Washington, D.C.:  General Services Administration, July 2010.  Information about how to go about buying Federal surplus.
  • NASPO. (National Association of State Procurement Officials)  Links to procurement agencies by state, District of Columbia, and territories.
  • SAM.GOV. (General Services Administration)  Contract opportunities, procurement notices from federal contracting offices.  Includes information on pre-solicitation notices, solicitation notices, award notices, and sole source notices.
  • TED. (European Union) Business opportunities, contracts, etc. by country.
  • U.S. General Services Administration

 

Public Safety – See Emergency Management, Public Safety, and Terrorism

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Radio Stations – See News

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Safe Rooms/Shelters

  • See – Natural Disasters
  • See – Safety
  • See – Weather

 

Safety

  • Bulletins for Teens. (National Center for Victims of Crime)  Geared to teens.  Contains information on various topics such as assault, bullying and harassment, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, etc.
  • Consumer Information: Privacy & Identity - Kids’ Online Safety. (Federal Trade Commission)  Listing of resources on the topic of children's assorted safety and privacy issues.
  • Directory of Crime Victim Services. (Dept. of Justice. Office for Victims of Crime)  Finding aid linking victims to specific services and programs available by location or type of victimization.
  • Fire Safety. (U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Safety & Health Administration)  Standards and regulations for worker safety. 
  • How to Deal with an Angry Drunk. (Alcohol Rehab Help) Blog post with advice on what to do and not do when confronted with an angry drunk.  Provides links to assistance resources.
  • How to Protect Myself. (The Ohio State University. Office of the Chief Information Officer)  Provides an overview of the common threats information technology presents to you, the individual, including tips on how to protect your personal information and computer, etc.
  • Injury Prevention & Control. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - CDC)  Cover such topics as drowning, traumatic brain injury, firearm violence, sexual assault, etc.
  • Kids and Socializing Online. (OnGuardOnline.gov)  Geared towards parents, covers safety issues for social networking sites, etc. used by teens and tweens.
  • KidsHealth - Fire Safety. (Nemours Foundation)  Information on fire safety for kids, teens, and adults.
  • Office on Women's Health. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women’s Health)  Information on various topics including human trafficking, stalking, sexual assault, domestic abuse, etc. Links to other health related topics such as eating disorders, cancer, smoking, etc.
  • Organizational Characteristics Associated with Risk of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Army.  Miriam Matthews, Andrew R. Morral, Terry L. Schell, Matthew Cefalu, Joshua Snoke, and R. J. Briggs.  Santa Monica California:  RAND Corporation, 2021.  
  • Personal Safety Tips. (The Ohio State University. Department of Public Safety)  Links to fire safety tips, bike safety, etc.
  • Personal Safety Tips for Women. (Good Morning America – ABC)
  • Preventing Sexual Assault on Campus. (Best Colleges.com)  Provides links to reports and resources on the topic of sexual assault and abusive partner relationships, tips on assault prevention, steps to take if assaulted, etc.
  • Privacy and Technology. (SafeHome.org)  Discusses issues that modern technology poses to a person’s privacy and safety. Includes statistics. 
  • Report Tips and Scams. (Ohio Attorney General)  Links to report Elder Abuse and fraud, consumer complaints and scams, Medicaid fraud, bid rigging, law enforcement tips, etc. 
  • Safe Travel Abroad - Tips/Advice. (CSA Global Consortium)  Safety tips for foreign travel.
  • Sexuality Studies 5620. (The Ohio State University Libraries. Jennifer Schnabel)  Guide to augment Professor Zoe Brigley Thompson’s Sexuality and Violence course.  Contains links to listing of selected titles held by OSUL on such topics as human trafficking, sex crimes, hate crimes, etc.
  • Stalking Resource Center. (The National Center for Victims of Crime)  Safety tips, victim assistance resources, safety plans, state by state break down of stalking laws and tribal codes, etc.  
  • Stay Safe Buckeyes Online Class. (The Ohio State University. Department of Public Safety)  1-hour video-based module covers various aspects of personal safety.  Available to OSU faculty, staff and students thru BuckeyeLearn. 
  • Take a Bite out of Crime®. (National Crime Prevention Council)
  • U.S. Passports & International Travel - Alerts and Warnings. (U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Consular Affairs)  Travel warnings and alerts issued by the State Department arranged chronologically.  Also searchable by country.  Has links to information on countries or areas that you might be traveling to.
  • Working for a Fire-safe America.  (U.S. Fire Administration)  Links to various fire related topics such as cooking fire, holiday fire safety, smoking and home fire safety, fire extinguishers, etc.  Has a section for Kids on fire topics.  Also has some statistical information on fire related topics.
  • Youth Topics. (Youth.gov)  Government web site  sponsored by the Department of Education, Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Justice and 15 other federal agencies aimed at educators and teens with information on various topics including Dating Violence, Disaster Preparedness, Bullying, Cyberbullying, Suicide Prevention, Human Trafficking, etc.  Each section has an explanation of the overall topics, then specific information on various aspects of the topic. 
  • See also Active Shooter 
  • See also Bullying
  • See also Cyberstalking
  • See also Emergency Management, Public Safety, and Terrorism
  • See also Human Trafficking
  • See also Identity Theft
  • See also Natural Disasters
  • See also Phishing
  • See also Sexual Harassment
  • See also Spam

 

Savings Bonds (U.S.)

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Scams

  • See – Crime
  • See – Privacy Issues

 

Scholarships – See Financial Aid/Grants

 

Severe Weather Safety Tips

  • See – Natural Disaster
  • See – Safety

 

Sexual Harassment

  • Buckeye Act. (The Ohio State University) OSU's comprehensive plan to combat sexual misconduct and relationship violence with links to reports and Vice President Biden's video on the topic.
  • Federal #MeToo:  Examining sexual harassment in government workplaces:  Briefing before the United States Commission on Civil Rights, held in Washington, DC.  Marik Xavier-Brier.  Washington, D.C.:  U.S. Commission on Civil Rights,  2020.  Examines Equal Employee Opportunity Commission’s enforcement efforts to combat harassment. 
  • Free to Learn:  Speech and Sexual Harassment on Campus:  Briefing Before the United States Commission on Civil Rights held in Washington, D.C.  Washington, D.C.:  U.S. Commission on Civil rights, 2020.  Examines the potential conflict between freedom of speech and sexual harassment on college campuses.
  • Sexual Harassment and Gender Discriminationin the Active-Component Army:  Variation in Most Serious Event Characteristics by Gender and installation Risk.  Avery Calkins.  Santa Monica, California:  RAND Corporation, 2021.  Analysis of circumstances under which soldiers experience harassment and gender discrimination. 
  • What is Sexual Harassment. (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - EEOC)
  • See also Safety

 

Social Security Administration (SSA).

 

Smoking – See Health

 

Spam

  • See – Computer Safety/Security
  • See – Cyber Crimes

 

Stock Exchanges

  • NASDAQ  
  • NYSE Euronext.   American Stock Exchange – AMEX merged with the Dutch  Euronext N.V. in 2007
  • World Stock Exchange.net.  A list of world stock exchanges, securities commissions and other regulatory agencies, as well as stock market resources  

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Taxes

 

Television – See News

 

Terrorism – See Emergency Management, Public Safety, and Terrorism

 

Tornadoes

  • See – Emergency Management, Public Safety, and Terrorism
  • See – Natural Disaster
  • See – Safety

 

Travel and Tourism

  • Europe.  Links to local tourism sites
  • Find a National Park. (National Park Service)  Links to National Parks in U.S.
  • Find Historic Places. (National Park Service)  Links to Historic Places throughout the U.S.
  • Historical Site Locator. (Ohio History Connection)  Searchable links to museums and historic sites throughout the state of Ohio. 
  • Ohio. (stateparks.com)   Information on state parks in Ohio.
  • State Tourism Sites. (State and Local Government on the Net)  Alphabetical list of state departments or offices of tourism.  (Note all links are working)
  • Tourism. (Ohio.gov)  Has listing of tourist attractions by broad categories such as Art & Culture, Museums and Historic Sites, etc.  
  • Travel.State.Gov. (U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Consular Affairs)  Official U.S. government travel portal include news and information about international travel, passport and visas, etc. 

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Vital Statistics (Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce Certificates)

 

Voting and Voter Registration

  • Contact Your State. (United States Election Assistance Commission)  Links to state boards of elections arranged in alphabetical listing.  Plus other voter related topics.  Available in six languages including Spanish. 
  • County Boards of Election Directory. (Ohio Secretary of State)  Contact Information for the various Ohio County Boards of Election.  
  • Elections & Voting. (Ohio Secretary of State)  Information on voter registration, absentee voting, signing up to be a Poll worker, etc.  (Note:  Links work in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, but not in Google Chrome)
  • Franklin County Board of Elections  
  • League of Women Voters of Ohio.  Source of information on issues and candidates appearing on the ballot.
  • State Voter Information Directory. (U.S. Vote Foundation) Links to state voter information, most include deadlines, voter registration, and absentee ballot requests
  • Voter Registration. (Franklin County Board of Elections)  Links to forms to register to vote, etc.

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Weather

  • Be Aware, Be Prepared, Take Action.  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency.  [Washington, D.C.]:  FEMA, 2021.  Includes instructions of what to do during various weather and disasters.
  • National Climate Assessment. (U.S. Global Change Research Program)  Summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States. 
  • National Weather Service
  • National Weather Service Safety Tips.  (National Weather Service Forecast Office. Cleveland, Ohio).  Covers safety tips for Tornado, Flash Flood, etc. safety.
  • Weather Underground. (Weather Underground)  Although primarily covering the U.S. there are some maps covering other locations.  Formerly Intellicast - Global.
  • Welcome to the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness. (Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness)  Includes safety tips on weather related issues plus Carbon Monoxide, Power Outages, etc.
  • Winter Storms, the Deceptive Killers:  A Preparedness Guide.  U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross.  Silver Springs, Maryland:  National Weather Service, June 2008.  Guide for severe winter weather, including action plans, definitions of weather related terms, etc. 

 

West Nile Virus – See Health

 

Wildfires

 

Work Visas

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Zika Virus – See Health

 

Zip Codes – See Postal Service

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