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International Collection of the U.S. Census Bureau Library

History
The Census Bureau has long participated in an international publication exchange with counterpart national statistical agencies, a program that has contributed many publications within the International Collection. The International Collection began growing substantially with the Census Bureau’s increased international analytical and technical assistance activities in the post-World War II years. The entire collection was cataloged at the turn of the millennium and moved to its current location in 2007.

Collection
The International Collection is among the very largest of its kind in North America and contains nearly 115,000 volumes. Statistical materials from countries around the world as well as “sub-collections” of UN materials, periodicals, and the general/reference resources compose the collection. Many of the materials are in the native languages of the country of origin. Special historical prizes within the collection include such items as the 1831 Census of England and Wales Enumeration Abstract, the 1890 Census of Portugal, volumes of the 1897 Census of Russia, and the 1899 Census of Cuba, materials that substantially pre-date the assembly of the International Collection. The Census Bureau Library's catalog is available to visitors and employees on the intranet.

Interlibrary Loan
The Census Bureau Library participates in the interlibrary loan program and therefore external users can borrow collection materials through another library.

Visiting the U.S. Census Bureau Library
The library's hours are 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visitors from outside the Census Bureau must schedule their visits ahead of time, and if a visitor is a noncitizen, some additional information will be required before the visitor's badge can be prepared. A government-issued picture ID, such as a driver's license, is sufficient for an external visitor who is a U.S. citizen. Visitors will be met and escorted to the library from the appropriate gate by Census Bureau staff members.


Source: U.S. Census Bureau | International Programs |  Last Revised: 2012-06-08T11:30:48.113-04:00