new decennial census resources

New Decennial Census Resources

Ray C. WallingSummer 2007Government Documents InternNumeric and Spatial Data Intern

New Decennial Census Resources

Part I: New Resources Available

Decennial Census Resources

New resources include:The Decennial Census Question DatabaseThe UMich Census InventoriesThe Block Report City Coverage AidThe Decennial Census Variable Database

Decennial Census Question Database (review) Census Coverage: 1790-2000 Purpose: To help librarians/patrons figure out

whether a question was asked on a particular decennial census.

Browse Questions by Date, 2000 equivalent, or tag

Also includes background information URL:

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/hiscen/cqdb.xls

Possible Question 1:

“What questions were asked for the 1790 census”

Answer: ….

Possible Question 2:

“Were questions ever asked about building materials for houses? If so when?”

Answer: …

Possible Question 3:

“I noticed there was a question in the 2000 census about when buildings were built, when was this first asked.”

Answer: …

City Block Coverage Aid

Census Coverage: 1940-1980 Purpose: To help librarians/patrons figure out

whether a city had block coverage for a particular decennial census.

Includes report numbers for each decade and a highlighted box if it is covered in that decade.

URL:http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/hiscen/bloc4080.xls

Possible Question 4:

“I am doing research on housing characteristics of a certain neighborhood of Anchorage, AK; is there anyway to find details for any decade within the last 50 years?”

Answer: ….

UMich Census Inventories

Census Coverage: 1790-1990 Purposes:

To help librarians and patrons find where resources are available (online, print, microformats, cds, etc.)

To catalogue additional online resources URL:

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/hiscen/cen#### (ex. cen1940)

Possible Question 5:

“The print volume of the 1950 Census Volume 2-Alabama Section is missing, is there another place I can search?”

Answer: …

New Decennial Census Resources

Part II: Real example of the use of these resources.

From the Patron:

“I need to find general information about housing characteristics for neighborhoods in Chattanooga, TN for 1950…Where can I look?”

- Patron Question, July 2007

Reference Interview

“Is there a particular piece of information that would be useful for your research? Or even an example of a statistic you are looking for?”

“I’m looking for all sorts of statistics; but for instance, I would like to know average rent in certain parts of the city?”

Thinking Process

Is this information available for the 1950 census?

Is Chattanooga covered in block statistics volumes?

What is the quickest way to get this information for the patron.

Steps

Find out if question is asked Find out if block coverage is available Find out where the patron can access this

information

Steps

Find out if question is asked Find out if block coverage is available Find out where the patron can access this

information

Steps

Find out if question is asked Find out if block coverage is available Find out where the patron can access this

information

New Decennial Census Resources

Part III: Coming Soon!

Decennial Census Variable Database

Census Coverage: 1790-2000 Purpose: To help librarians/patrons figure out

what statistics, variables, tables, and maps are available through online resources.

Includes information on online resource, type of information (stat, variable, etc.), Concept/Variable Name, Possible Divisions, Tags, and Geographies available

Will be available Spring 2008.

New Decennial Census Resources

Part IV: Any Questions?