BGI Reference Desk

Census indexes and code lists

We are gradually cleaning up our U.S. Census collections. As part of that we are trying to correct some incorrect locations. The census collection shelves should contain ONLY publications with statistical results from the decennial and other census - not materials ABOUT them or other publications from the Census Bureau. Indexes of industries, occupations, and geographic codes should not be found on the census shelves. Those are shelved in the census area at the desk. Most have duplicate copies on the regular circulating shelves. If you find any of these indexes on the census shelves, pull or make note of them, please.

Julie and Clarice

Business Source Premier

I created a link on the Business Library home page that has iinstructions for navigating to the old version of Business Source Premier. This is a better interface for literature searching and searching full text.

It also is FindIt enabled. The links are not activated yet for the Enhanced Version. I have notified Jim Stemper.

In discussing with Shane, having two proxies for Business Source Pemier would create other problems, so maybe we can try this approach for now.

Van

MN Soil Surveys Migrates to Libdata

Replaced http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/soilsurveys.phtml with http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1818

National Accounts Statistics Guide Moved to Libdata

Replaced http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/stat/national_accounts.phtml with http://courses.lib.umn.edu/page.phtml?page_id=1817

Journalism 4263 "butter" assignment

Hi All-

A revised copy of the butter assignment is located in the Current Classes folder. For selected questions you'll find suggested resources.

If you have questions, let me know.

--Mary

GPL Census Page

• Extensive revision of http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/census/index.phtml. To see the difference, see http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/census/index_old.phtml. Until all of the content is transferred to Libdata, the links to actual data (and associated help) are in "Guide to Data Sources" (a Libdata page). Change had to be made to facilitate user testing tomorrow.
• Deleted:
  http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/un_current.phtml
  http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/un_masthead.phtml
  http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/un_pubs.phtml
  http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/un_research.phtml

CRS Reports at UNT

The University of North Texas will soon be making available a free, full-text database of CRS reports. It will overlap somewhat with the Gallery Watch product. I agreed to beta-test it several months ago, but UNT is interested in comments from anyone here at the U, so feel free to add yours (they'll be looking here at what I/we say). The url is http://digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/crs/. --Amy

CRS Reports Trial

Here's the IP-enabled address for the CRS Reports trial from GalleryWatch:
http://login.gallerywatch.com/minnesota.

From Julie:

"Some of you know that the reports from the Congressional Research Service are excellent sources for government research, but are very hard to locate since they are created for Congress, not the public. We now have a trial of a new product which includes about 90% of CRS reports from 1999. It comes from GalleryWatch, which is working with Pennyhill Press on this product.

We will have this trial through ALA, at least. As far as we know the price will be somewhere around $3500. Please try it and think about its usefulness. Also alert any faculty or students who might make use of it. Send comments to Julie."

--Amy

Changes to the Blog

Since the Blog really is our staff page and I doubt anyone is going to the actual staff page, I took all the links off the staff page and found a home for them, either in entries or in links down the left side of the blog. Please note that the Login link has moved to the upper left. The link "Staff Resources" in the footer to all GPL pages now points to the blog.

Net result? One less place to look for information; more crowded look to blog.--Amy

Staff Resources points to blog now

Changed link behind "Staff Resources" (http://wiki.lib.umn.edu/Staff/BusinessAndGovernmentInformation) in footer to point to the blog (http://blog.lib.umn.edu/staff/bgi/).

Minnesota Historical Society / Census Schedules

If a patron wants to look at Census schedules (the original forms as filled out) that we don't have, try the MHS catalog. One thing we've been asked for before were the schedules for 19th century Census of Agriculture schedules and MHS has them (and more). -- Amy

Pages Deleted

http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/official_foreign.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/official_igo.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/official_local.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/official_state.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/official_us.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/pubs_canada.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/pubs_local.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/pubs_igo.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/pubs_mn.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/pubs_us.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/sed.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/statfa_us.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/ca.php
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/gplforvisitors.phtml?ca=1
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/gplforvisitors.phtml?un=1
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/gplforvisitors.phtml?us=1
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/sourceoecd.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/sourceoecdimages.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/un.php
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/unguide.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/unstats.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/guides/us.php
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/instructional/toptenun.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/stat/canada.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/stat/tool_oecd.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/stat/tool_wdi.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/stat/trade.phtml
http://govpubs.lib.umn.edu/stat/unitedstates.phtml

Where's the Census microfilm that the genealogists want?

Either here in the GPL microfilm or in Periodicals. We have all Federal Schedules released for MN except for 1890, some complete sets for all states and the MN state Censuses. For details, see http://www.lib.umn.edu/libdata/page.phtml?page_id=1120#toc32333.
--Amy

CRS Reports

There is no comprehensive source of CRS reports, but try:

1. MNCAT; keyword "crs report" and additional appropriate keywords.

2. Google; in search box " "crs report" filetype:pdf {some keyword}". Today that retrieved about 7000 results, the vast majority of which are non-government sites.

3. Follow the suggestions in this short LLRX article: http://www.llrx.com/features/crsreports.htm#Locating.

4. When the site-wide test is set up, try out our trial of Gallery Watch, a vendor of full-text CRS reports and citations.
--Amy

Census Dates

U.S. Census

1st 1790
2nd 1800
3rd 1810
4th 1820
5th 1830
6th 1840
7th 1850
8th 1860
9th 1870
10th 1880
11th 1890
12th 1900
13th 1910
14th 1920
15th 1930
16th 1940
17th 1950
18th 1960
19th 1970
20th 1980
21st 1990
22nd 2000

LCSH are of the pattern:
United States--Census, 4th, 1820

Where Do I Start?

For Statistics
1. Statistical Abstract of the United States
2. Lexis-Nexis Statistical
3. Fedstats
4. Historical Statistics of the United States
5. World Develpment Indicators IN PRINT
6. International Financial Statistics IN PRINT
7. UNSTATS
8. Lexis-Nexis Statistical
9. UN Statistical Yearbooks (there are several series)
10. MNCAT for state yearbooks and/or links to online editions
11. State and Local Government on the Web

In General
BGI Blog
GPL Rolodex
University Libraries FAQ

When to use American FactFinder, a disk or FTP for Census data requests

1. Find out the lowest level of geography desired and whether the patron wants lots of it, like all block groups in MN or all census tracts in Hennepin County or everything ever for California.

2. American FactFinder works best for large groups of these geographies WHEN YOU CHOOSE “geo within geo” on the “Select Geography” page.
a. Counties, County Subdivisions, Census Tracts and Places

3. The disks work best for large groups of all geographies, but if the patron’s on the phone and AFF will work for them, the disks are probably not the best choice.

4. FTP is for people who are adamant that they want everything that they can get and are comfortable with FTP and data handling. Always check the user’s reaction to the terminology – no matter how much they say they want it all, if they look lost at the mention of FTP, creating data files, using the documentation to interpret the files, they DON”T want this option.

5. American FactFinder now has a "save query" option - if a user says they want it all because they'll need to dip in and out of the data regularly, point out the save query feature. You would walk through the data selection process once, save the query and then, when you go back later, you can load the query and only change the table selections.

What’s on GPL Public Access Workstations

Installed applications on Adams, Madison, Jefferson and Lincoln (Mount Rushmore / MR)
1. Public Browser
2. Adobe Acrobat
3. WinZip
4. FTP Explorer (like WS_FTP)
5. Viewers ONLY for Excel, Lotus and dBase files
6. AlternaTiff for viewing USPatents&Trademark images – AlternaTiff is NOT on the Lumina terminals

Installed applications on Fillmore
1. All of the above, except instead of file viewers, Fillmore has a full set of MS Office.

What’s not available from Mount Rushmore
1. .com web sites
2. CD Burning

How to Find GPL Staff Page

http://wiki.lib.umn.edu/Staff/BusinessAndGovernmentInformation

How to Find Serials and Monographic Series

Use Andriot – Indexes will find various SuDocs, Agency Class Chronology will show history

How to Find Pre-1976 U.S. Publications (some starting hints)

1. To find a document, we need a SuDoc number. Try these:
• If it’s a Congressional publication, use LN Congressional or CIS indexes.
• If you know the SERIES (e.g. Army Technical Manual, BLS Bulletin) use Andriot.
• If you have a publication title, use the Cumulative Title Index on row H.
• If you’re reasonably certain of the date, you can go straight to the Monthly Catalogs on row G/H and use the indexes accordingly.
• If it is 1909 or earlier, use the Checklist, shelved in Row G (C 3.2:C 41/2).
• Once you have the SuDoc, check the GPL shelflist.
2. Once you have the SuDoc, check the GPL shelflist to see if we received it
• Some older documents are in MLAC, see the separate Storage shelflist (blue labels) - x-ref cards are in regular shelflist
• The shelflist indicates pretty complete holdings and cross references through about 1992
• Check MNCAT even if it is before 1976; many earlier publications are there:
• GPL holdings cataloged because of interest or circulation
• Depository materials sent to Wilson or other collections
• Copies acquired for other collections
• Law Library holdings (will usually give you the SuDoc)
• Materials sent to MLAC by other libraries
• Remember that we have some useful backup collections
• The complete Serial Set is in fiche in the Law Library
• All Congressional hearings are in fiche in the Law Library
• We own copies of EVERYTHING indexed in the Monthly Catalog from 1958-72, in a Readex microprint collection in S-34; these are filed by Monthly Catalog entry

How to Find Books not on the shelf

1. Some SuDoc classes include many small publications which are put in boxes on the shelves; look in the boxes as well as beside them.

2. Check the reshelve area behind the GPL workroom.

3. If not found but record does not say it is checked out, fill out a blue Search Request form (on counter). Put your initials and the date in upper right corner. Put in search box near where GPL keys are kept, inside workroom door.

Where things are in GPL

“Green Slips”
When a patron asks for a “Green Slip” they are almost certainly referring to the “Circulation Alert” slips we keep in the upper left cabinet drawer under the desk. The slips extend the circulation period from 3 days to 2 weeks for census volumes being used for research in the MN Population Center.

International Financial Statistics Online / Annual Yearbook / Quarterly Book
http://www.lib.umn.edu/cgi-bin/ifs.cgi
Latest ed. of yearbook on GPL Row A (call number is HG61 .I57.) Earlier in GPL LC coll., Row 25.
Quarterly periodical (current issues) on Reference Periodicals, Row 21, behind the reference shelves

World Development Indicators Online / Book
http://www.lib.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wdi.cgi
Latest ed. of book on Row A of GPL Reference (call number printed on slip taped to reference shelf)

Kits
Kits are shelved on the same set of shelves as the microfilm (Row CC beyond drinking fountain.)