This blog series provides easy, free access to open web resources and content that support affordable learning opportunities. A wide variety of resources published by government entities, think tanks, and more are curated to demonstrate what may be relatively unknown or ‘buried’ in the internet. Resources reflect issues happening today for the use of librarians, students, and all audiences.

Peruse, collect, distribute, save time and energy for enhancing information awareness in libraries around the world. We encourage you to share.

In Case You Missed It: New Open Resources

These helpful sources are open and offer background on current events of global importance.

The latest data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development on the homeless population in the U.S.:

2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress
Source: U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development

Keywords: Statistics, Homeless, Statistics

Overall spending data (broken down into several areas) for U.S. Congressional candidates running in 2017 and 2018 elections:

Statistical Summary of 21-Month Campaign Activity of the 2017-2018 Election Cycle
Source: Federal Elections Commission

Keywords: Elections, Statistics, Campaign Finance

New report tracks, collates, distills, and visualizes data relating to artificial intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Index: 2018 Annual Report
Source: Human-Centered AI Institute, Stanford University

Keywords: AI, Artificial Intelligence, Statistics

Roundup by topic and state of gun-related laws passed during 2018:

Gun Law Trendwatch 2018 Year-End Review
Source: Giffords Law Center

Keywords: Guns, Gun Control, Laws, Legal

New Congressional Service Report provides look at the many issues involved with the use of cryptocurrency:

Cryptocurrency: The Economics of Money and Selected Policy Issues
Source: Congressional Research Service (via EveryCRSReport.com)

Keywords: Economy, Economics, Cryptocurrency, Legal, Laws, Money

New drug overdoes report from the National Center for Health Statistics/Center for Disease Control:

Drugs Most Frequently Involved in Drug Overdose Deaths: United States, 2011–2016
Source: National Center for Health Statistics/Center for Disease Control

Keywords: Opioids, Drugs, Drug Abuse, Statistics, Health

Did You Know: Open Resources to Bookmark

Along with alerts when a price changes for any product sold by Amazon.com, business researchers will find this service useful as it provides historical pricing data for every product Amazon sells.

CamelCamelCamel

Example of Historical Data

Look for the historical pricing data (table and graph) at the bottom of the page for each item.