Database of the Month: Statistical Abstract of the United States [New Database!]

The Statistical Abstract of the United States is back! You may or may not have noticed, but this vital resource is back from hiatus with a new online publisher and provider in ProQuest. (The Statistical Abstract was previously published by the U.S. Census Bureau.) This revived database will be invaluable to students in GB320, marketing classes, and anyone who needs hard-to-find statistics. For many topic areas, this is one of the only places you'll find information brought together in such a succinct and organized way. The Statistical Abstract answers such questions as:

• How much crude oil and natural gas reserves are there in each state?
• What percentage of children enrolled in preschool in 1970 versus 2010?
• What was the trend in honey production over the last ten years?
• How many businesses in the U.S. are owned by minorities and women?

You can get the answers to questions like these two ways: browsing or searching. Browse Use the 31 sections along the side to explore statistics in different topic areas, such as Health and Nutrition, or National Security and Veterans Affairs.  (Click on the image below to enlarge it.) Once in a section, you can look through the list of tables available (which you might prefer if you’re used to the print version), or you can narrow down the list of tables by applying filters:

• subject
• data source
• date
• geography
• how data is broken down (e.g., race, state, industry, or income)

Filters can then be easily removed by clicking the "x" next to them. Search You can also simply type in a search term, and use the same facets described in “Browse” to narrow your list of results. Below is an example of a search for the word “mortgage.” (Click on the image below to enlarge it.)

Export You can export entire sections or individual tables of data as Excel files or PDFs, including a citation generated for you in either MLA or APA format. Further Information and Help This online version of the Statistical Abstract is updated monthly. The library also collects the print edition of the Statistical Abstract, which is updated annually. Past versions – both print and electronic – can be accessed through the library’s catalog. Click on “Guide to Statistical Sources” within the database to see a complete list of the Statistical Abstract’s data sources, from the U.S. government as well as private and international sources (for example, the UN Statistics Division and The Conference Board). If you want to learn more, ProQuest has put together a great help guide to the new Statistical Abstract here: http://proquest.libguides.com/statisticalabstract

The Statistical Abstract is available through the Bentley Library’s Databases A to Z listing.  For further assistance using the Statistical Abstract, please contact the Reference Desk.

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Database of the Month provides a very brief introduction to an important research database, highlighting key features of the database that you should know about. If you would like more information about this database (or any of the library’s databases) please Ask a Librarian. If you would like a demonstration of this database for a class, please contact our Coordinator of User Education, Elizabeth Galoozis.