Essential Reference Sources

1990 & 2000 Questionnaires

http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/2000quest.html
Value: If they didn't ask about it, they didn't count it...Plus, for 2000 they tell you why the long form questions were asked, e.g. the plumbing question helps public health officials pinpoint likely locations for outbreaks of water-borne diseases and groundwater contamination.

200 Years Of U.S. Census Taking

Bureau of the Census.
Value: Lists the questions asked and instructions to enumerators for 1790-1990 Censuses. Includes images of census forms (some filled) over time.
See also Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses From 1790 to 2000: http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/pol02-ma.pdf, except for
1800: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/pdf/1800cq.pdf
1810: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/pdf/1810cq.pdf
1820: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/pdf/1820cq.pdf
1830: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/pdf/1830cq.pdf
which are supplied by the University of Michigan.
U of M Location: TC Wilson Library Gov Pub Reference - Call No: C 3.2:T 93
U of M Location: TC Magrath Library Gov Pub - Call No: C 3.2:T 93

{About the} Decennial Census

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/decennialdata.html
Value: Says on one web page what the Census is, lists the 2000 short and long form variables, points to the parts of American FactFinder where they can be found, describes the Census Supplementary Survey, lists long form variables for 1990 and points to the parts of American FactFinder where they can be found.

American FactFinder Glossary

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/epss/glossary_a.html
Value: Concise definitions of geographic levels like "Census Designated Place" and cross-references.

Census Release Schedule 1

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/releaseschedule.html
Value: Specifies where in American FactFinder data will end up. However, it isn't updated as frequently as 2 and doesn't include links to 2000 data that's on the Internet in locations other than American FactFinder.

Census Release Schedule 2

http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/c2kproducts.html
Value: Updated more frequently than 1, points to non-American FactFinder data and has a subject-organized version.

Census Geography Diagram 1

http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/epss/census_geography.html

Census Geography Diagram 2

http://govpubs.lib.umn/edu/images/census-geog.gif
Value: One screen graphic showing Census geographies and their relationships.

Dubester's U.S. Census Bibliography With Sudocs Class Numbers And Indexes.

Kevin L. Cook.
Value: Indexes Census Bureau publications from 1790-1945. It can be used many ways, but the simplest one is to look in the index for a given topic, like pulp mills, and then go to the Supplemental Entry with same number as in the index entry. The Supplemental Entry will have the title of the publication in which the topic appears and its Sudoc number.
U of M Location: TC Wilson Library Gov Pub Reference - Call No: HA214 .C66x 1996
U of M Location: TC Magrath Library Gov Pub Reference - Call No: HA214 .C66x 1996

Encyclopedia Of The U.S. Census

Margo J. Anderson, editor in chief.
Value: Comprehensive source for "about" information; doesn't assume prior familiarity with the Census.
U of M Location: TC Wilson Library Gov Pub Reference - Call No: Quarto HA37 .U55 C66 2000

Geographic Areas Reference Manual

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/garm.html.
Value: This is the comprehensive and final word on Census geography.
U of M Location: TC Wilson Library Gov Pub US Desk Ref - Call No: C 3.6/2: G 29/4
U of M Location: TC Magrath Library Gov Pub US Census - Call No: C 3.6/2: G 29/4

Uses for Questions on the Census 2000 Forms - Appendix B

http://www.census.gov/pub/dmd/www/pdf/13appb.pdf
Value: Includes an index of subjects and the first Census in which questions about them appeared.