Alkek Library News

Save Statistical Abstract!

For many, Statistical Abstract is the first source consulted for statistical information. This crucial reference source has been in existence since 1878. It is available online and in print.  It appears that 2012 federal budget cuts will mean the demise of this statistical compendia. Under the topic "Statistical Abstract and the Consolidated Federal Funds Report, and other noted publications from the Statistical Compendia Branch (Census Bureau)" the Government Printing Office (GPO) help site states:

Question

We've heard the Census Bureau has announced it is going to discontinue the Statistical Abstract and the Consolidated Federal Funds Report. Can you confirm this information? Answer A representative of the agency responds: "The just released 2012 budget does not include funding for the Statistical Compendia Branch which would mean the elimination of not only the Statistical Abstract, but all titles produced by that branch (State and Metropolitan Area Data Book, County and City Data Book, USA Counties, Quick Facts). No new editions would be produced in print or online. We have already started work on the Statistical Abstract 2012 edition and are still working on the local area products. We will continue to work on these products and have a contingency plan to have the Statistical Abtract 2012 out by the end of September, due to our uncertain future."

If this source goes away, there is no comparable, comprehensive source to take its place.  Under the current proposal, both the print and the online version will disappear because the Census Bureau’s Statistical Compendia Branch will be eliminated . 
 
Some have suggested that perhaps other sites/sources could fill the void if Statistical Abstract goes away.  However, many of the other statistical sources that are currently available cite Statistical Abstract as the source for information.   Additionally, one source mentioned as a possible replacement, Data.gov, is in fact also at risk (see Free Government Information blog posting).

Researchers and librarians across the country are uniting in protest of the proposed cut and starting to contact Congressional representatives. Concerns expressed include:

• The Abstract aggregates social, economic, and political indicators. It is time-consuming and difficult to compile this information from other sources.
• The Abstract provides source information for the statistics provided which allows researchers to easily consult other relevant topical information.
• The printed Abstract includes some copyrighted material that will no longer be easily accessible.
• A similar statistical publication is published by many countries around the world as a means of providing access to understanding the state of a nation's social, political and economic functioning. Terminating this publication would mean that the United States no longer demonstrated value in a free and open society with easy access to statistical information.

There are several ways that you can express your concern:
 
(1) Join a Save the U.S. Statistical Abstract facebook group
(2) Sign an online petition
(3) Write a letter to your representative (check this blog posting or this American Library Association Action Alert for a sample letter)

New Database: Lexis Nexis Datasets

Lexis Nexis Datasets includes information for researchers to build statistical sets and tables from a multitude of sources.  Options on the main page include: Find a Table, Customize Data and List of Links.

Find a Table allows the user to search the row-column headings & titles of published tables. The search can be built around Geographic, Demographic, Economic, Frequency of data from Local, U.S. and International sources.

The Customize Data option is more interactive. The user builds their table based in the criteria they select. Some of the choices include: In the News, Key Economic Indicators, Browsing by Subject or by Source (with breakdowns within each subject) .

Some of the Subjects include:
Banking, Criminal Justice, Law, Education, Energy, Food, Health, Industry, Population, Transportation (and more.)

Sources Include:
Department of Agriculture, Health, Homeland Security, Bombay Stock Exchange, National Cancer Institute, (and more.)

There are options for the look of the graph (line, trend, bar, etc) Layout options, users can calculate using a calculator or statistical analysis and there are also multiple ways to export the data: Excel, PDF, Delimited Text, XML and more.

List of Links is an annotated list of government websites including government agencies & services, university sites and non-government services.

Help and information can also be found on the Lexis Nexis training wiki.

Finding Statistics on the Web

Finding statistics on the web can be a daunting task if you don't know where to look, what organizations or government agencies gather the statistics.   For general population or demographic data the first place to go for information about the United States is the Statistical Abstracts of the U.S. or Census.gov website.  The US Census gathers the population data then disseminates it into various formats and reports.  You can search the Stat Abstracts or use the Index to find particular tables. The Index refers to the "table number"  and the online PDF version is the same as the printed version available in the library.  The Index has entries that range from the number of automobiles imported to the foreign trading and mining of Zinc. 

You can also use some of the Data Tools available at the Census.gov website such as the American Factfinder which is a good source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data.

Although the Census website covers almost any topic overall, there are other government agencies that specialize in gathering statistical information and it is often best to go directly to the source.  For instance, for health statistics, if you want to know the number of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) reported by location you should go to the Centers for Disease Control Data Sets. Most Federal websites allow you to browse by state. For worldwide health data, see the (WHO) World Health Organization.

If you are looking for education statistics you would want to go to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) website. Although, the Stat Abstracts above will also offer education related statistics, the NCES is more focused. You can find data on Early Childhood through Post Secondary.

If you are looking for weather data, such as historical rainfall totals or major storms, you would want to go to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website or the National Climatic Data Center. 

There are many more places to search for statistical data and using a trusted source is the first step in getting accurate data.  Typically you want to look for government websites. Sites that use .gov or .org rather than .com are the safer bet.  If you are still unsure what agency or website has the data you need, when using Google or other search engine, add "statistics" or "data" to your search, in addition to ".gov" or "org".

You can also use the library "Databases by Type" and use either the Statistics or Census/Demographics list to find a database that has the information you need.

As always, if you need additional help finding information, please use the Ask a Librarian service!!