Off The Shelf
308.5 million and counting
Jennifer Varshal
Issue date: 1/27/10 Section: News
Can you imagine counting 308.5 million people scattered throughout the country? The United States Census aims to do precisely that. Its goal is to count every resident in the United States, currently an estimated 308.5 million people, and gather additional information that would be difficult to obtain by other means.
The year 2010 happens to be a census year. In March, census forms, consisting of ten questions, will be mailed to every household in the United States and Puerto Rico. Anyone who fails to return the form will receive a visit from a census taker who will personally collect the information requested on the form. Residents will be asked about the number of people in each home, their names, dates of birth and racial background. The results of the census will determine such critical matters as how over $400 billion in federal funds is spent on schools, hospitals and other services. Census information even determines the number of seats a state receives in the House of Representatives.
In the past, longer questionnaires were also sent to some residents during census years, but the long questionnaire has now been replaced by the American Community Survey. The American Community Survey is an ongoing survey that occurs yearly and asks more detailed questions on various aspects of Americans' lives.
For librarians and students alike, the census can be an invaluable tool. It provides a wealth of detailed demographic, social and economic statistics that help paint a portrait of the nation in a given year, reveal patterns and trends and enable us to make projections about our future.
Census data tell us, for example, that in 2000, 4.7% of the U.S. population used public transportation to get to work while 41.5% of households had internet access. At the local level we learn that in 2000 92.4% of people 25 or older in the city of Madison were high school graduates and 45.7% of the city's housing units were renter-occupied.
While the census provides a rich source of data, it also has its critics. Despite the fact that the Census Bureau cannot legally give out information collected on individuals until 72 years after it is collected and all employees of the Bureau must take an oath for life that they will protect individually identifiable data, some express concern about the privacy of the information provided on the questionnaire. There are also concerns about phishing, e-mail scams and fake census Web sites that seek to steal sensitive information from individuals. It should be noted, however, that none of the 2010 census information will be collected by e-mail or over the Internet. If you have doubts as to the legitimacy of any correspondence regarding the census, you are encouraged to contact your Census Bureau Regional Office.
For more information on the 2010 census and to explore statistical information from past censuses visit www.census.gov, or ask a Madison College librarian for help.
The year 2010 happens to be a census year. In March, census forms, consisting of ten questions, will be mailed to every household in the United States and Puerto Rico. Anyone who fails to return the form will receive a visit from a census taker who will personally collect the information requested on the form. Residents will be asked about the number of people in each home, their names, dates of birth and racial background. The results of the census will determine such critical matters as how over $400 billion in federal funds is spent on schools, hospitals and other services. Census information even determines the number of seats a state receives in the House of Representatives.
In the past, longer questionnaires were also sent to some residents during census years, but the long questionnaire has now been replaced by the American Community Survey. The American Community Survey is an ongoing survey that occurs yearly and asks more detailed questions on various aspects of Americans' lives.
For librarians and students alike, the census can be an invaluable tool. It provides a wealth of detailed demographic, social and economic statistics that help paint a portrait of the nation in a given year, reveal patterns and trends and enable us to make projections about our future.
Census data tell us, for example, that in 2000, 4.7% of the U.S. population used public transportation to get to work while 41.5% of households had internet access. At the local level we learn that in 2000 92.4% of people 25 or older in the city of Madison were high school graduates and 45.7% of the city's housing units were renter-occupied.
While the census provides a rich source of data, it also has its critics. Despite the fact that the Census Bureau cannot legally give out information collected on individuals until 72 years after it is collected and all employees of the Bureau must take an oath for life that they will protect individually identifiable data, some express concern about the privacy of the information provided on the questionnaire. There are also concerns about phishing, e-mail scams and fake census Web sites that seek to steal sensitive information from individuals. It should be noted, however, that none of the 2010 census information will be collected by e-mail or over the Internet. If you have doubts as to the legitimacy of any correspondence regarding the census, you are encouraged to contact your Census Bureau Regional Office.
For more information on the 2010 census and to explore statistical information from past censuses visit www.census.gov, or ask a Madison College librarian for help.
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