Information Resource Center

Introduction and Services

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Information Resource Center. Located at a commercial building of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, our center provides up-to-date information to Vietnamese audiences and U.S. Mission staff on the United States, its people and its policies. The subject emphasis is on American politics and government, economics and trade, foreign affairs and defense, education and the culture, as well as global concerns such as narcotics, environmental issues and social issues.

Staffed by professional documentation and reference specialists and equipped with modern information retrieval technologies such as on-line databases through the Internet, the Information Resource Center provides continually updated information on current U.S. policy and legislation to Vietnamese government officials, academics, journalists as well as U.S. Mission staff.

IRC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Reference Books:

The Information Resource Center (IRC) currently has a collection of reference books in many fields such as public diplomacy, public administration, economics, trade, sciences and technology, etc.  The IRC currently does not issue membership cards. “Take home” requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Periodicals: 

There are 48 magazines and newspapers available at the IRC for reference.  These periodicals cover all aspects of American life. Readers may request a photocopy of only one article per visit.

Research/Reference Service:

Information provided upon request about U.S. policies in domestic and international affairs via phone calls, fax, mail, e-mail, and visits by appointment.

The monthly current awareness collection of 25 articles, designed to keep the IRC users abreast of issues and concerns in the United States. Upon receiving Article Round Up annotation, IRC’s users can send information requests via email, fax, telephone, mail.

SDI (Selective Dissemination of Information):

Selected information materials (journal articles, videotapes, books, online & CD-ROM information) and recommended web sites with annotations covering issues of major interests to both Americans and Vietnamese are sent to individuals on topics of their professional interests.

TOC (Table of Contents Service):

The IRC distributes photocopied tables- of-contents pages from selected journals, which are available at the IRC in hard copy as well as in online & CD-Rom databases. Copies of articles are sent upon request.

Internet Service:

PCs with a wireless LAN access to the high speed Internet (ADSL) are available at the IRC.  Please call to make arrangements before you come in.

The U.S. Consulate Website: 

The IRC staff maintains the Consulate General public website at http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov. The website serves as a gateway to many useful information related to visa applications, education, economics and trade of the U.S. 

Mobile Libraries:

This service provides small mobile libraries to selected universities, research and educational institutes, and government offices for their staff to use for a period of six months. The collection consists of up-to-date books and CD ROMs on major topics: Economics and Trade, U.S. Foreign Policy, U.S. Politics and Government, U.S. Law and English teaching. Please contact the IRC for more information regarding terms of the service and contract.

Washington File:

This is a daily collection of the current U.S. information regarding the East Asia-Pacific region. Selected documents from the WF will be sent to IRC users upon request.

Electronic data Research:

A. CD-ROM

The IRC has a collection of CD-ROM databases: American Presidents; American History; Story of the States; U.S. Code; Encyclopedia Britannica; ProCD Collection 2000 Edition- Essential Tools for Business; Information USA; U.S. Academic Explorer: A Guide to Higher Education in the U.S., and others.

B. Video tapes

The IRC has received the following video series:

• American Cinema, including 13 videotapes
• American Passages, including 8 videotapes
• Framework for Democracy, including 14 videotapes
• Freedom - A history of U.S., including 8 videotapes
• The Blues, including 7 videotapes
• Pandemic: Facing AIDS, including 7 videotapes
• Presidential debates

At the IRC, patrons can view them upon requests. IRC encourages English lecturers, American studies lecturers, and students to use the videotapes in their classrooms as well as training programs.

C. Online Databases

The IRC subscribes to the following online databases that provide efficient and thorough searches.

FACTIVA: Provides full text of current news from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Global Mail, The Wall Street Europe and The Asian Wall Street Journal and business sections from 54 papers around the world. It also provides full-text of 265 regional newspapers and 175 international publications and papers. Approximately 2800 business and trade publications are also included.

LEXIS-NEXIS: The LEXIS, which offers full text of U.S. federal and state legal and regulatory materials, state court materials, treaties and legal periodicals; and the NEXIS, which offers full text information from over 100 newspapers, wire services, news and business magazines.

FEDERAL NEWS SERVICE: Federal news service allows you to read verbatim transcripts of the actual words spoken by American leaders on matters of official government policy and other issues of the day, the same day! FNS produces transcripts of Presidential statements; briefings at the White House, State, Defense and Justice Departments; speeches and press conferences of major political leaders and spokespersons; and congressional hearings.

FIRSTSEARCH: Provides access to over 70 online databases with timely information about books, journal articles, films, computer software, and other materials.

GALENET: Provides updated profile and contact information on associations, organizations, research centers, publications and broadcast media.

STAT-USA: A service of the U.S. Department of Commerce which provides authoritative statistical information on current and historical economic and financial data, current and historical trade-related releases, etc.

UMI PROQUEST DIRECT: Provides summaries or full text of articles from over 5,000 publications, with many articles available in full text, full image format.

Please contact us:

Information Resource Center

U.S. Consulate General

65 le Loi, 9 Fl., Saigon Centre Building

Dist. 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 

Tel: (84-8) 821-6400
Fax: (84-8) 821-6405
uscongenhcmc@state.gov