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Other sections of this guide may contain information of interest, particularly the section on The Environment.
Bibliography of North American Geology I 19.3:834 ... 1269. 1929-69 (some years are missing). This index to the geological literature is no longer available as part of the "USGS Bulletins" series, but provides a valuable record of work for the years covered.
Census of Mineral Industries C 3.216:. 1963-. Part of the 5- year Economic Census cycle. Reports statistics on all mining establishments regarding labor, materials, capital and input/output of projects and services. Statistics are available by geographic area, type of material mined; general information includes financial aspects, energy and water use, etc. Recent information is available online from the Census Bureau.
Climate Action Report. S 1.2:C 61/2/ . 1994, 1997. Submissions of the U.S. under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. There is a summary chapter and other sections which cover: National Circumstances, Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Mitigating Climate Change, Vulnerability and Adaptation, Research and Systematic Observation, Education, Training and Outreach, and International Activities. There is also a review of governmental actions, reporting tables, and a brief bibliography. A recent report is available online from the EPA.
EPA Office of Compliance Sector Notebook Project. EP 1.113:310-R- . These "notebooks" compile information about environmental problems and solutions, case studies and compliance tips for various industries. The Library has more than a dozen in paper; these and more, including some later edications, are available online from the EPA.
Geographic Names of the Antarctic. NS 1.2:AN 8/4/995. 1995. Gives approved names of more than 12,000 features in Antarctica and the surrounding area. Includes brief descriptions and precise longitude and latitude coordinates.
Historical Unrest at Large Calderas of the World. I 19.3:1855/v.1,2. 1988. Summaries of historical "unrest" (defined as seismicity, ground deformation, thermal activity and eruptions) at 138 calderas greater than 5 kilometers in diameter. (A caldera is a roughly circular depression surrounding a usually long-extinct volcanic vent structure.) There is a quick reference chart as well as more detailed descriptions. The level of explanation is fairly technical but not beyond the reach of an informed layperson.
Lexicon of Geological Names of the U.S. These references, which appear in the "USGS Bulletins" series, provide the official names of geological features. Additional information usually includes location, type, age and/or thickness of sediments, etc. Be aware that names for formations may change over time; check in a more recent edition for a name found in an earlier one. The Library retains the older editions because they contain more descriptive material and are easier to read than the cumulative list of features through 1975 (the last item in the table below).
| I 19.3: | 896 (2 v.) | 1905-37 | I 19.3: | 1520 | 1968-75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1200 (3 v.) | 1936-60 | 1564 | 1976-80 | ||
| 1350 | 1961-67 | 1565 | 1981-85 | ||
| I 19.3: | 1535 | through 1975 | (computerized; minimal descriptive information) | ||
Mineral Facts & Problems I 28.3:675. 1985. Encyclopedia of information on metals, minerals and fuels. Non-technical; gives background, outlook, problems, references for each commodity. Some earlier editions are also available at I 28.3:650,667, and 671.
Minerals Yearbook I 28.37: (1930-1995); I 19.165: (1996- ). (Some early years are missing.) Comprehensive review of U.S. and foreign mineralogical and metallurgical developments; statistics; domestic volume includes chapters on each state. Most recent volume is available online from the U.S. Geological Survey
National Water Summary reports. I 19.13/3:. Describe the conditions, trends, availability, quality and use of water resources in the U.S. Each volume includes general papers on the specific topic and state summaries:
| 1984 | Hydrologic Events, Selected Water-Quality Trends and Ground Water Resources |
| 1985 | Hydrologic Events and Surface-Water Resources |
| 1986 | Hydrologic Events and Ground-Water Quality |
| 1987 | Hydrologic Events and Water Supple and Use |
| 1988-89 | Hydrologic Events and Floods and Droughts |
| 1990-91 | Hydrologic Events and Stream Water Quality |
Some of these reports, plus much other water information, is available online from the U.S. Geological Survey.
U.S. Earthquakes C 55.226:. 1969-80. Includes descriptions and tabular data on earthquakes; epicenters are given.
Maps (Earth Sciences Dept.). Topographic quadrangle maps for selected states are kept in the Earth Sciences Department in Garni Hall but are available to the general public in addition to St. Mary's students. Call 210/436-3235 for more information. Note that recently maps are no longer received in paper format. Digital versions of some topographic maps are available from the USGS online. You may also order paper copies from them.
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Papers I 19.16:.1964-. Some early numbers are missing. This series contains "comprehensive scientific reports of wide and lasting interest and importance," according to the USGS. For the last few years, this series is electronic only; records for recent numbers are in the Library's catalog with links to the online versions.
U.S.Geological Survey Bulletins I 19.3:. 1930- . Some early numbers are missing. This series contains "significant data and interpretation" that is generally more limited in either scope or geographical coverage, according to the USGS, than that found in the Professional Papers. For the last few years, this series is electronic only; records for recent numbers are in the Library's catalog with links to the online versions.
U.S. Geological Survey Circulars I 19.4/2:. 1960-. Some early numbers are missing. This series contains technical and non-technical information of an "ephemeral nature," but of potential public interest, according to the USGS. For the last few years, this series is electronic only; records for recent numbers are in the Library's catalog with links to the online versions.
Publications of the USGS. I 19.14:. 1879-2000. Annual. (Publications through 1981 are covered in multi-year cumulations.) Currently, access to USGS publications is through the "warehouse" on their website.
Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology SI 1.30:. 1969- . Some numbers are in microfiche. Monographs report on research and collections of the Smithsonian museums in the area of paleontology.
Go to Resources in the Library
GPO Browse Topics. This listing of links to government sites is by broad subject. Topics relevant to geology are:
Earth Sciences • Minerals and Mining
Department of the Interior. This cabinet-level agency is responsible for protecting and providing access to our Nation's natural and cultural heritage and discharging the government's trust responsibilities to tribes. There are links off the main page to the Department's eight subsidiary bureaus (under "Bureaus"): Geological Survey (see below), Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement. The main DOI page also has an index and search capability, as well as a text alternative.
USGS (U.S. Geological
Survey). This agency has a voluminous web presence, supporting over
150 servers throughout the country. The
USGS covers the following broad subjects, which each have their own main web page—Biology,
Geology,
Geography, and
Water. In addition, you can browse resources in more specific categlories such as Earthquakes, Human Health, and Water Quality. From the main USGS page, you can select information by state, or search the site. There are also convenient links to "real-time" information on earthquakes, volcanoes and water resources, as well as the agency's growing array of geographic information systems. Their entire collection of photographs can be searched or browsed, with free download capability of various resolutions, in their Photographic Library.
A particularly interesting subsidiary site of USGS is the
National Earthquake Hazards Program, where you can find general information on earthquakes
as well as data on recent and historical quakes; their National Seismic Hazard Maps give probabilities of earth motion that is used in building codes, risk assessments, and other aspects of public policy. Another one is their Geographic Analysis and Monitoring Program, which studies the causes and consequences of natural and human-induced processes that shape the landscape over time. Their page with links to information on many of the world's Volcanoes is also a good reference.
The USGS is also interested in extra-terrestrial geology. Their Astrogeology Research Program supports efforts to explore, map, and understand our solar system. Their website includes databases, general and technical information, photo galleries, etc., concerned with our planetary neighbors.
Examples of the kind of detailed pages that make the USGS such a rich source of information:
Mount St. Helens, Washington • WaterWatch
NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) also provides a great deal of information of interest to the earth sciences.
Geodata.gov aims to consolidate access to maps, data and other geospatial information. The site is a portal which allows users to find geospatial data, generate customized maps and other materials, and browse information on particular geographic areas. The search feature allows investigation by specific features and a number of specialized data categories.
Geologic Time: Story of a Changing Earth. This website from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History is a wonderful reference on geological time periods, with background and detailed technical information. (Flash is required)
EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. This EPA office is concerned with non-point source pollution and monitoring and protection of the nation's water resources. There is a text alternative page.
National Geophysical Data Center. This Center, operated by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides access to technical data in a variety of areas, broadly covering land, marine, submarine and solar features. These are the major subdivisions of the website:
National Park Service's Geological Resources. Focusing on geological processes and sites within the Park System, this site includes a Park Geology Tour, which allows browsing by geological features, by Park, or by State. There is also information on geological hazards and mineral and energy development in and near park lands. There is a special section on Coastal Geology, which includes information on rising sea levels.
NOAAWatch. Subtitled "NOAA's All-Hazard Monitor," this site is provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and summarizes data from many different monitoring agencies. It contains background information and current data on all kinds of weather and other physical events such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Even man-made incidents such as oil spills are covered, and so is weather in space.
Soil Surveys. This website maintained by the Agriculture Department's Natural Resources Conservation Service provides detailed data on soil types present in most of the nation's counties. Their "Soil Data Mart" allows a user to determine which soil specific surveys are available online (as PDF documents) and which must be ordered in paper from the Service.
Volcanoes of the World. The Smithsonian Institution maintains this site, which offers different ways of searching its fund of information, including maps. There are weekly and monthly activity reports summarizing volcanic events and related news, and a collection of photographs of volcanoes. You can download GoogleEarth placemarks for volcanoes through the website as well.
House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources and Science.
Senate Committees on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, and Environment and Public Works.
There is some variation among Congressional Committee Web sites as to content. But all of them will have at least some information on legislation they are currently considering. So for information of this kind, these are good sites to consult. Some Committees, however, will have more historical information available than others.
Mariners' Weather Log. C 55.299/2: (1993-96); C 55.135: (1997-2000). Information in the form of charts, tables and narrative on the weather affecting marine commerce. The periodical often contains interesting articles of a historical or more general nature as well. Issues later than 2000 are available electronically only and can be found, along with some older volumes, on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website.
World Weather Records. C 55.281:W 89. 1961-70, 1971-80. Vol. 1: North America; vol. 2: Europe; vol. 3: South Central America; vol. 6: Islands.
Go to Resources in the Library
GPO Browse Topics. This listing of links to government sites is by broad subject. The general Earth Sciences topic includes some weather-related links.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is the agency primarily concerned with weather information. Important sub-agencies are:
An interesting new site operated by the National Climatic Data Center is their Natonal Climate Impact Indicators. Examples: Crop Moisture Stress, Residential Energy Demand, and Air Stagnation Index.
If you need to see what the weather was like on some date in the past, NOAA's Daily Weather Maps Project is invaluable. This page offers access to maps from 1871 to 2002 (a special plug-in is required to see the maps, but there is a link on the page to download it). More recent maps are more easily viewable here.
An interesting specialized site is devoted to Lightning and Atmospheric Electricity Research, part of the Global Hydrology and Climate Center at NASA. The site offers educational materials for students as well as datasets and collections of technical publications for researchers.
The Meteorological Service of Canada offers these El Niño and La Niña sites. The information is slanted to Canadian weather, but there is information on global effects of El Niño and La Niña as well. More international information is available from the World Meteorological Organization at the U.N.
House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Resources and Science.
Senate Committees on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, and Environment and Public Works.
There is some variation among Congressional Committee Web sites as to content. But all of them will have at least some information on legislation they are currently considering. So for information of this kind, these are good sites to consult. Some Committees, however, will have more historical information available than others.
GPO Browse Topics. This listing of links to government sites is by broad subject, and Oceanography is included. In addition, the general Earth Sciences topic includes some oceanography-related links.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is the agency primarily concerned with oceanographic information. Important sub-agencies are:
UN Atlas of the Oceans. This site offers statistics, images, maps and other data compiled by oceanographic agencies around the world (including NOAA). There are sections on various topics of interest such as pollution, transportation, reefs and fisheries as well as background information on the oceans' formation and dynamics, and news items.
House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Resources and Science.
Senate Committees on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, and Environment and Public Works.
There is some variation among Congressional Committee Web sites as to content. But all of them will have at least some information on legislation they are currently considering. So for information of this kind, these are good sites to consult. Some Committees, however, will have more historical information available than others.
A selection of links to government databases in the sciences and technology can be found on our Government Databases in Scientific and Technical Fields page.
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