Book excerpt: The Washington Information Directory is the essential one-stop source for information on U.S. governmental and nongovernmental agencies and organizations. This thoroughly researched guide provides capsule descriptions that help users quickly and easily find the right person at the right organization. The Washington Information Directory offers three easy ways to find information: by name, by organization, and through detailed subject indexes. The volume is topically organized, and within the taxonomic structure the relevant organizations are listed not only with contact information but with a brief paragraph describing what the organization (whether government or nongovernmental) does related to that topic. It is focused on Washington—an organization must have an office in Washington to be listed. It also includes dozens of resource boxes on particular topics and organization charts for federal agencies and NGOs. With more than 10,000 listing sand coverage of the new presidential administration, the 2017–2018 Edition features contact information for the following: • 115th Congress and federal agencies • Nongovernmental organizations • Policy groups, foundations, and institutions • Governors and other state officials • U.S. ambassadors and foreign diplomats • Congressional caucuses