CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK

Customer Service Week will be celebrated this year from October 4 - 8. This 

national event recognizesthe importance of customer service and honorsthe 

people on the front lines of the service revolution. We at NTIS are proud of the 

service we offer our customers and are happy to report that we currently have a 

98% Customer Satisfaction Rate. We want to thank you for your patronage and 

for your suggestions of ways in which we can improve our products and services 

to assist you in accomplishing your goals. As we enter Fiscal Year 2011, we look 

forward to working with you in meeting your future information needs.

NTIS PARTNERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 

EDUCATION, ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO 

FREE EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS

Since 2009, NTIS has worked with the Department of Education, accepting and 

fulfilling orders for over 1,200 publications available to the public and academia 

at no charge. Some of these publications can be downloaded immediately from 

the Department of Education Web site or shipped within seven business days. 

The project manager for this effort, Kristen Scherber, has worked at NTIS for 23

years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to overseeing and 

managing this important Department of Education project. 

Pat Moton: “Kristen, which NTIS offices are most involved in the Department of 

Education project?”

Kristen Scherber: “The Office of Sales, the Warehouse and Distribution Division, 

the Office of the Chief Information Officer, and, of course, the Office for Federal 

Services, where I work.”

Pat: “How do customers select the documents they want to order?”

I NSI DE T HIS ISSUE

1 Customer Service Week

2 NTIS Partners with the 

Department of Education, 

Ensuring Public Access to 

Free Education 

Publications

3 What are the Trends in 

Health Status and Health 

Care Use Among Older 

Men?

4 Where’s NTIS Exhibiting?

5 Worker Safety on the 

Farm

6 Alligator River National 

Wildlife Refuge

Kristen Scherber has 

worked at NTIS for 23 

years and brings a wealth 

of knowledge and 

experience to overseeing 

and managing this 

important Department of 

Education project.

 Please see page 3.

 

National Te chnic al Information S ervice www.ntis.gov p mot o n@ntis .gov 

U. S. Dep art ment o f Co m merce 703-605- 6103

5301 Sh aw nee R o ad

Alexandri a, V A 22312

 

 

 

 CUSTOMER

 ADVOCATE’S 

 Fall - October 2010 CORNER Volume 3, Issue 1

 
Page 2 NTIS CUSTOMER ADVOCATE’S CORNER 

“When it comes to living 

alone . . . older men are 

much less likely to live 

alone than older women; 

and they are much more 

likely to be living with a 

spouse.”

WHAT ARE THE TRENDS IN HEALTH STATUS AND 

HEALTH CARE USE AMONG OLDER MEN?

On April 21 this year, the National Center for Health Statistics issued a report 

on risk factors and health status trends among older men in the United States. 

Did you know that more than 10 percent of men were age 65 or older in 2007? 

The report includesinformation on their use of health care and health care 

expenditures. 

Since 1970, there has been a decline in death rates among older men, due in 

large part to declines in mortality from heart disease and stroke. Although the 

difference in life expectancy between older men and women has narrowed

since 1980, a gap still remains, with life expectancy for men at any age 

continuing to remain lower than that for women. Older men and women do, 

however, have similar rates of visits to emergency rooms and doctor’s offices, 

as well as similar rates of hospital admissions. 

When it comes to living alone, older men are much less likely to live alone than 

older women; and they are much more likely to be living with a spouse. To 

find out more about health status and health care use among older men, order 

this report from NTIS through our Web site, by phone or e-mail, requesting

product number PB2010-109867. The report may also be viewed at the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health 

Statistics Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr024.pdf. 

WHERE’S NTIS EXHIBITING?

We hope you’ll be able to stop by whenever NTIS is exhibiting in your area.

From December 8-10 we will be exhibiting at the World Energy Engineering 

Congress in Washington, D.C.

* * * * * * *

Are there upcoming conferences at which you feel an NTIS exhibit or speech 

would be a valuable contribution?

Just e-mail me at customeradvocate@ntis.gov or call me at

703-605-6103. I’ll be sure your suggestion is forwarded to the proper NTIS 

management staff.

* * * * * * *
NTIS CUSTOMER ADVOCATE’S CORNER Page 3

Kristen: “The www.edpubs.gov Web site provides educational publications for 

audiences that range from teachers to students and parents. This site offers materials 

that include information on Federal Student Aid, literacy publications, publications for 

students with disabilities, and many more.”

Pat: “If customers have a question when ordering, is there a representative they can 

call for assistance?”

Kristen: “Customers are able to call 1-877-4ED-PUBS to speak with a ‘live’

representative and are provided the option of choosing to speak with a Spanish 

speaking representative. In addition, customers can order online at www.edpubs.gov, 

by fax at 1-703-605-6794, or by e-mail at edpubs@edpubs.ed.gov. We also have 

TTY/TDD lines available at 1-877-576-7734. For those customers who prefer to place 

their orders by mail, the address is:

ED Pubs

P.O. Box 22207

Alexandria, VA 22304”

Pat: “What are some of the most popular items being ordered?”

Kristen: “Currently, ED Pubs features popular educational publications such as:

• Put Reading First

(Helping Your Child Learn to Read—A Parent Guide)

• Net Cetera Chatting with Kids About Being Online

• How the Blueprint for Reform Empowers Educators

• College Preparation Checklist

• FAFSA on the Web

(Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

Customers can access www.edpubs.gov to see the full collection of educational 

materials.”

Pat: “Thank you for taking time to provide our subscribers information on the 

availability of these publications and for discussing this worthwhile project.”

NTIS PARTNERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 

ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO FREE EDUCATION 

PUBLICATIONS 

 From Page 1

 

 

 

“Customers can access 

www.edpubs.gov to see 

the full collection of 

educational materials.”
Page 4 NTIS CUSTOMER ADVOCATE’S CORNER 

which to avoid such injuries. Tractor safety, 

machinery safety, animal safety, fall safety, and hired 

worker safety are highlighted. Many of the 

precautions presented pertain to safety off the farm 

as well. For example: 

• “Be aware of the risk of overturn when 

operating an ATV. Use extra caution on 

uneven terrain . . .”

• “Do not overextend your body when working 

from a ladder or scaffolding. . . Utilize the 

‘three-point system’ meaning that three of 

your four limbs are in contact with the ladder 

or vehicle at all times, either one hand and 

two feet, or two hands and one foot.”

• “Be aware of animal behavioral 

characteristics;” and “Avoid quick movements 

and loud noises when working around 

animals.”

This flyer may be purchased from the NTIS Web site as 

PB2010-110607 or may be downloaded from our site 

at no cost.

Written and Edited by:

Pat Moton

Customer Advocate

National Technical

 Information Service

5301 Shawnee Road

Alexandria, VA 22312

Phone:

703-605-6103

Fax:

703-605-6900

E-mail:

customeradvocate@ntis.gov

 

there, you can also find endangered/threatened 

species on the Refuge, including the American 

alligator, American bald eagle, red wolf, and the redcockaded woodpecker.

If you enjoy paddling through the water, the Milltail 

Creek Canoe/Kayak Trails provide access to four trails 

totaling 15 miles with color-coded markers guiding 

you through remote waterways where a variety of 

wildlife and habitat types can be viewed. You might 

even hear the howl of a red wolf!

A flyer describing the Alligator River National Wildlife 

Refuge is available from NTIS as product number 

PB2010-114574. It may also be viewed at the U.S. 

Fish & Wildlife Service Web site at 

http://library.fws.gov/Refuges/alligator_river02.pdf. 

If you have not already subscribed to receive 

future copies of this free quarterly newsletter, 

please send an e-mail to:

customeradvocate@ntis.gov

Please include “Subscribe to NTIS Customer 

Advocate’s Corner” in the subject line of your e-mail.

To access previous issues, go to 

http://www.ntis.gov/help/overview.aspx#CACN

Previous issues are listed under the red highlighting.

Worker Safety on the Farm 

The National institute for 

Occupational Safety and 

Health has issued a flyer 

describing the number of 

work-related injuries that

occur on farms and ways in

Alligator River 

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Located in Manteo, 

North Carolina, the 

Alligator River 

National Wildlife 

Refuge is home to 

many species of 

wildlife, including 

one of the largest 

remaining 

concentrations of 

black bear along the 

mid-Atlantic Coast. 

In addition to the 

250 species of birds 

that spend at least a 

portion of their time