Locating U.S. Census Publications in the Library of Congress

A Few Quick Tips

Compiled by Angela S. Wilson
Business Reference Services. Science, Technology, & Business Division

The following selected entries offer suggestions for locating census publications at the Library of Congress. Included are web sites, guides, LC call numbers, and location information for identifying census publications in electronic, print, CD-ROM, and microfiche formats.

CURRENT CENSUS DATA

Electronic Resources:

http://factfinder.census.gov/java_prod/dads.ui.homePage.HomePage

The latest Census 2000 and 1997 Economic census data products as they are released are accessible using the Census Bureau's data access and dissemination system called American FactFinder. Look here also for locating data from the 1990 Decennial Census and the 1992 Economic Census as well as other census surveys.

http://www.census.gov

The Census Bureau home page offers many access points to census data from Subjects A-Z to the latest economic indicators to instant U.S. and World population figures. Their publications are in pdf format, and specific data tables can be retrieved using interactive data access tools. There are also links to other web sites containing census data and statistics as well as links to international statistical agencies .Information on the latest news, activities, and planning regarding Census 2000 and the 1997 Economic Census are also available.

http://www.census.gov/epcd/econ/www/eclookup.html

An interactive site for retrieving economic census data from the various industry sectors by state and county levels.

http://www.census.gov/prod/www/titles.html

This is the publications index to all the reports issued by the Census Bureau that are available from their web site. These publications are in pdf format and therefore require Adobe Acrobat Reader (free on the Internet) to view them.

http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/pdf-az.html

The Census Bureau's A to Z listing of its publication titles. It provides lower level links to associated publication pages.
NOTE: This is not the Census site index Subjects A to Z.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html

This interactive site provides decennial and economic census data at the state and county levels.

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/cenindex.html

A web site designed by Grace York at the University of Michigan which allows you to determine if a desired subject would be found in a printed census report, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, or web site.

CD-ROMS:

The 1990 Decennial and 1992 Economic Census data are available on CD-ROM. Products include summary and subject summary tape files, special tabulations, and other titles.

Guide/Index: There is a listing of the CD-ROMS available from the Census Bureau, entitled "1992 Economic Census CD-ROMS and Publications." Title listings of CD-ROMS are also contained in the 1997 Census Catalog and Guide Z7554.U5U32 1997 (BUSRef Desk) on pages 27-28 for economic data and pages 209-226 for decennial data. An overview chart on the four major summary tape files is on pages 232-233. The Guide is no longer available in print after the 1998 edition. See the latest electronic editions and back issues beginning with 1995.

Locations: Census data on CD-ROM are available in the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room in the Madison Building, Room LM133. The 1992 Economic Census on CD-ROM is also accessible from the Science, Technology and Business Division/Business Reference Services, Adams Building, 5th Floor. Consult with staff in both reading rooms for availability of titles.

Printed Reports:

Printed reports from the decennial and economic censuses are available in LC; call numbers for the reports can be obtained by doing a title search using the LC online catalog (e.g. 1990 census of population housing north carolina OR 1992 census of retail trade).

Guide/Index: The following publications can be used to identify printed reports:

Census catalog and guide . Z7554.U5U32 1997 ( BUS Ref Desk) Begun in 1946, this annual guide contains all the census data products generated by the Census Bureau. It provides information on all series, new products, has handy charts, and indicates formats available for each title.

Monthly guide to government publications Z1223.A18 (Available in the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room, Madison Building, LM133, and the Science, Technology and Business Division, Science Reference, Adams Building, 5th Floor). Also searchable online at public workstations in Library of Congress public reading rooms via the subscription service New FirstSearch. This publication provides Superintendent of Documents (SUDOC) numbers for locating census items in the Federal Depository collection, i.e., Government Documents collection of the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room which has decennial census reports back to 1980 and economic census reports back to 1977.

Finders' guide to census tract reports. HA201 1990o (BUS Ref Desk) A reference publication published by the Census Bureau that assists in identifying the appropriate census tract report for a desired geographic area for the 1990 Census. It can be used with the finding aid listed below in order to locate census tract reports in LC.

How to locate census tract reports in LC; a checklist.
(Folder available at BUS Ref Desk) This folder contains information on locating census tracts from their earliest beginnings to the current 1990 Census. LC call numbers are provided.

Lavin, Michael. Understanding the census; a guide for marketers, planners, grant writers and other data users. Kenmore, NY: Epoch Books, Inc. 1996. HA201 1990ar .
Provides detailed information on census concepts, methods, terminology, and data sources and assists researchers in locating desired census data. Subject index to the 1990 census of population and housing, 1997, (HA201 1990au) is the companion volume that provides a detailed guide to the tables found in the major print and CD-ROM publications of the 1990 Census.

Locations: One set of printed reports is housed in the general collections; selected titles for DC, MD, & VA have been pulled from the collections and placed on open shelves in the Science Technology and Business Division/Business Reference Services, Adams Building, 5th Floor. See the listing of titles from the major decennial census series for DC, MD, and VA that are housed in the Business Reading Room, and for a listing of the titles from the major series of the economic census that are housed in the general collections. Another set of printed reports is housed in Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room, Madison Building, Room LM133 as part of the Government Documents Collection.

Microfiche:

The 1990 decennial census is also available on microfiche as part of the collection of the American Statistics Index published by the Congressional Information Service (CIS) of Bethesda, Maryland. Selected titles are also available on microfiche as part of the Government Documents collection in the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room Madison Building, Room LM133

Guide/Index: Guide to 1990 U.S. decennial census publications. HA201 1990as (BUS RR Ref Desk) is the CIS guide to decennial census publications indexed in their microfiche set. The Monthly guide to government publications. Z1223.A18 can be used to identify decennial publications on microfiche in the depository collection.

Locations: 1990 decennial census publications on microfiche that are part of the American Statistics Index collection are housed in the Microform Reading Room, Thomas Jefferson Building, Room LJ139. Selected census publications that are on microfiche as part of the Government Documents collection may be available in the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room, Madison Building, LM133. Consult with staff for availability of specific titles.

HISTORICAL CENSUS DATA

Decennial census publications dating from the first census of 1790 to the current 1990 Census are available at LC. Much, but not all, of the Decennial census material is also available online from the U.S. Census Bureau. Similarly, LC also has economic census publications dating back to their earliest beginnings when questions were first asked on the 1810 decennial census, to the current 1992 Economic Census.

Guides/Indexes: The following publications can be used to identify earlier census publications:

Dubester, Henry J. Catalog of Publications, 1790-1972. Z7554.U5 U58 1974 (BUS RR Ref Desk)
This publication contains LC call numbers for the census from 1790-1945; remaining entries (1946-1972) supply titles and Library of Congress Control Numbers (LCCNs) for searching the Library of Congress Online Catalog using the guided keyword index. Economic census data are also included but use the LC online catalog to locate economic census publications since 1972.

Farrington, Polly-Alida. Subject index to the 1980 census of population and housing. HA201 1980ab (General Collections). This is a cross-tabulation subject index to tables found in the 1980 Census.

Schulze, Suzanne. Population information in the Nineteenth Century: 1790-1890. Z7164.D3544 1983; Population information in the Twentieth Century: 1900-1940. Z7164.D3545 1985 ;Population information in the Twentieth Century: 1950-1980. Z7164.D3546 1988 (BUS RR Ref Desk). These three volumes provide subject access to decennial census publications from 1790 to 1980 and include LC call numbers, LCCNs, and subject access to tables in the census reports. The economic census series are not included.

Locations: Earlier decennial and economic census publications are housed in the general collections accessible via Book Service, 5th Floor, Adams Building. The Government Documents Collection in the Newspaper and Current Periodicals Reading Room, Madison Building, LM133 also houses printed reports for the decennial and economic census back to 1980 and 1977, respectively; selected titles may also be available in microfiche for the 1980 census and the 1977 Economic Census.

USERS' GUIDES

The Census Bureau publishes users guides to the decennial and economic censuses. These guides cover census history, glossary, documentation, methodology, planning, etc. for each census. Following are selected titles:

Decennial census guides
1990 Census of Population and Housing. Guide. HA201 1990f
Users' Guide, 1980 Census of Population and Housing. HA201 1980b
1970 Census Users' Guide. HA37.U52 1970c

Decennial census history
1990 Census of Population and Housing History. HA201 1990aj
1980 Census of Population and Housing History. HA201 1980ac
1970 Census of Population and Housing. Procedural History. HA37.U52 1976

Economic census guides
Guide to the 1997 Economic Census.

Since there is no official guide to the 1992 Economic Census, please see the Overview of Economic Statistical Programs and the 1992 Economic Census Results .

Guide to the 1987 Economic Censuses and Related Statistics. HA37.U55G87 1990
This is the last printed edition of a guide to the economic censuses.

Economic census history
History of the 1997 Economic Census.

History of the 1992 Economic Census (and earlier economic census years). HC101.U475a 1992.

CENSUS DATA FOR D.C., MD., VA.

Selected Titles Of Major Series From the 1990 Decennial Census Printed Reports for DC, MD, and VA Housed in Science, Technology and Business Division, Business Reference Services, Adams Building, 5th Floor

(Note: The LCCNs can be used to pull up LC catalog records to obtain additional information on the other States whose publications are housed in the general collections.)

1990 Census of Population and Housing Reports (CPH)

1990 Census of Population Reports (CP)

1990 Census of Housing Reports (CH)

Selected Titles From the Major Series of the 1992 Economic Census Housed in the General Collections, Adams Building, 5th Floor

(Note: The LCCNs can be used to pull up LC catalog records in order to obtain additional information on subtitle series and their respective volume numbers.)

1992 Census of Retail Trade (RC)

1992 Census of Wholesale Trade (WC)

1992 Census of Service Industries (SC)

1992 Census of Transportation, Communications, and Utilities (UC)

1992 Census of Manufactures (MC)

1992 Census of Mineral Industries (MIC)

1991 Census of Construction Industries (CC)

1992 Census of Financial, Insurance, and Real Estate Industries (FC)

1992 Census of Outlying Areas (OA)

1992 Enterprise Statistics (ES)

1992 Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MB)

1992 Census of Women Business Owners (WB)

1992 Characteristics of Business Owners (CBO)