[Libs-Or] Information and Action: Fwd: [alacoun] Fwd: Statistical Abstract - ALA action?

Fri Mar 18 11:42:46 PDT 2011

I am forwarding a message from a different discussion list, including a letter to your local representatives in Congress, put together by Hailey
 Mooney, a librarian from Michigan State.  I think it is a very well-written letter that we can all use to contact our Congressmen and Senators.  The only thing I'd like to add, I think it needs to be disseminated beyond the library community.  Those of us who work with research, business  or advocacy / non-profit communities should try to make them aware of the potential loss of information access that is at stake here. I will try to circulate this letter among my colleagues and members of my other professional associations as much as possible.

Alexey PanchenkoNLM Fellow, PhD CandidateOregon Health & Science University 
 Department of Medical Informatics 
----------------------------------------tel: 503-805-6483panchenk at ohsu.edu oralexey.panchenko at gmail.com

From: Taylor, Liane [mailto:ltaylor at txstate.edu] 
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 1:43 PM
To: rusa-l at ala.org; rss-l at ala.org; codes-l at ala.org; brass-l at ala.org; history-l at ala.org
Subject: [brass-l] SAVE THE STATISTICAL ABSTRACT Please excuse the cross postings.  The
 Census Bureau has had to put the US Statistical Abstract on the 
chopping block for 2012. This budget estimate is currently sitting at 
Congress. See University of Michigan’s Population Studies Center’s blog 
entry about it here, with links to the actual document: http://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/pscinfoserv/?p=1814. I
 have just spoken with Cathy Lavender, who works on the Abstract and has
 for over 20 years. She said the staff just found out about this last 
month and it’s been devastating and a shock. They requested to continue 
with the online, but that is not currently an option. Staff at the 
Abstracts are only able to advocate for this on their personal 
computers, and otherwise their hands are tied. It’s up to us to rally for the cause.  Cathy said that staff has been told to contact their representatives in Congress to advocate that the Abstract be continued. (http://www.contactingthecongress.org/) Please note that the County and City Data Book and the State and Metropolitan Area Data Book are also on the chopping block. The main number at the Abstract is 301-763-1171,
 but when I called I was not able to get a hold of anyone. I eventually 
called the main Census contact number at 301-763-INFO (4636) and was 
connected to a division where Cathy works, at 301-763-1166.  Hailey
 Mooney, Data Services and Reference Librarian at Michigan State  
University Libraries has written a letter that can be used or adapted to
 send to your representative. I am appending it below with her 
permission.  I hope that we as individuals and groups within ALA can work together to save this invaluable resource.  Please contact me with any questions or ideas! Best,Liane Liane TaylorRUSA Reference Services Section Vice-Chair, 2010-2011Serials Acquisitions LibrarianAlbert B. Alkek LibraryTexas State University - San Marcos
601 University Drive • San Marcos • TX • 78666ltaylor at txstate.edu • 512.245.2643    -----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of Government Document Issues [mailto:GOVDOC-L at lists.psu.edu] On Behalf Of Mooney, Hailey
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 8:31 AM
To: GOVDOC-L at LISTS.PSU.EDU
Subject: Re: [GOVDOC-L] Statistical Abstract

I
 drafted a letter, which I will share below for others like myself who 
can't wait and just have to contact their representatives right away!   I
tried
 to incorporate a lot of the sentiments that I have heard on this list. I
 see now that it lacks a specific call to action, which is something 
that a formal letter from a group like GODORT, IASSIST, or the ACRL Data
 Interest
Group would want to include.   Maybe it can be a starting point though?

Dear ____,

The
 U.S. Census Bureau's Budget Estimates for Fiscal Year 2012 calls for 
the termination of the Statistical Abstract program.  The library 
community is deeply upset at the thought of losing access to this 
important program and urges you to take action to stop this program 
change.  

The Statistical Abstract of the United States is
 a crucial source in the provision of social, economic, and political 
indicators to the American public.  The Budget Estimates document 
suggests that the Statistical Abstract is no longer needed due to the 
"availability elsewhere of much of the information in the statistical 
abstract".  As a reference publication the Statistical Abstract is 
valued precisely for aggregating in one convenient location a variety of
 information sources available elsewhere.  
The provision of 
private information not freely available elsewhere is also invaluable.  
Published since 1878, this important resource is a staple of reference 
librarians for its ease of use, comprehensive content, and as a 
guidebook to statistical sources. 

It would be a 
disservice to the American public to terminate the Statistical Abstract 
program.  A democratic society is only made possible by an informed 
citizenry.  The multitude of government statistical programs and 
publications can be difficult for many members of the public to 
understand and use.  The government must support programs like the 
Statistical Abstract that enhance the availability of information. 

Many developed countries throughout the world publish Statistical Abstracts.
 It
 is a standard government publication that is universally popular as a 
tool to understand the state of a nation's social, political and 
economic functioning.  Terminating the Statistical Abstract program 
would lower the United States international standing as free and open 
society that values unfettered access to information.

Even
 in these trying economic times the Census Bureau must continue to 
support the mission of the Department of Commerce to "Improve 
understanding of the US economy, society and environment by providing 
timely, relevant, trusted and accurate data, standards and services 
enabling entities to make informed decisions."  The Statistical Abstract
 program clearly supports this goal by providing a valuable directory to
 the wealth of statistical information produced by the US government and
 private sources.  We must not let short-sighted and ineffective 
attempts at lowering the federal deficit stand in the way of upholding 
the values upon which our nation was founded: a democratic society 
supported by an informed public.
 Hailey Mooney
Data Services and Reference Librarian
Liaison to Human Development & Family Studies, Social Work, Sociology Michigan State University Libraries
100 Library
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1048
517-884-0857
mooneyh at mail.lib.msu.edu

Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:09:45 -0700
From: diedre08 at gmail.com
To: libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
CC: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Libs-Or] Information and Action: Fwd: [alacoun] Fwd: Statistical Abstract - ALA action?

I am not sure what is going to happen with these statistical publications that we all use but I just wanted you to know that some action is probably coming from ALA and that you can also take some action.  I think that at some point there may be something on capwiz, http://capwiz.com/ala/home/, though there isn't anything there yet.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pam Klipsch <pklipsch at jeffcolib.org>
Date: Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 7:55 AM

Subject: [alacoun] Fwd: Statistical Abstract - ALA action?

This question came to me from one of my librarians in Missouri. Can anyone provide additional details and tell us what action ALA is proposing?

Thanks,

Pam Klipsch

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brekhus, Rachel L. <BrekhusR at missouri.edu>

Date: Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Subject: Statistical Abstract - ALA action?
To: "pklipsch at jeffcolib.org" <pklipsch at jeffcolib.org>

Cc: "Concannon, Marie" <ConcannonM at missouri.edu>

Pam,

I am hearing from Marie Concannon, our Documents librarian and Missouri’s FDLP Regional director, that the office that creates the Statistical Abstract of the United States is being cut entirely from the budget, meaning that we will be losing the print and online versions of the Statistical Abstract of the United States as well as several other key statistical compendia.

As our ALA Councilor, do you know if the ALA is aware of this, and whether it plans to take any coordinated action (asking members to write their members of Congress, etc.) against the loss of a resource that for many of us, and our users, is an absolutely central reference source?

I’ll forward the email portions that Marie has forwarded to me below, in chronological order. 

Thank you for looking into this.

Rachel Brekhus
Humanities Librarian, MU Libraries

……
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of Government Document Issues [mailto:GOVDOC-L at lists.psu.edu] On Behalf Of Lori Smith
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 1:23 PM

To: GOVDOC-L at LISTS.PSU.EDU
Subject: Re: update on Census Bureau program cuts

Dear Folks,

I couldn't take the uncertainty anymore so I called the Census Bureau and spoke to Ian O'Brien who's the Chief of the Statistical Compendia Branch.  He said that the 2012 budget doesn't include funding for his 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, etc.).  No new editions would be produced in print or online.

I asked if there was any hope of changing this and he said that there's always a chance that Congress could be convinced to continue funding for the program.  He said those who would like to save the Statistical Compendia Branch could write to their Senators and Representatives.  I'm guessing this would go for the Federal Financial Statistics Program as well.

So, start writing your letters and encourage others to do the same.

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

*Lori Smith

*Government Documents Department Head

*Sims Memorial Library

*Southeastern Louisiana University

*SLU 10896

*Hammond, LA  70402

*(985) 549-3966            LSMITH at SELU.EDU

*http://www.selu.edu/library/directory/govdoc/index.html

From: Discussion of Government Document Issues [GOVDOC-L at lists.psu.edu] On Behalf Of Deborah Mongeau [djmongeau at GMAIL.COM]

Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 1:10 PM

To: GOVDOC-L at LISTS.PSU.EDU

Subject: Re: update on Census Bureau program cuts

I've read this section of the justification document and it looks like it's a pretty ambitious program and maybe it's more appropriate for collecting and disseminating data going forward but what I'm getting out of this report is that Statistical Abstract, etc. will be abolished and THEN the Census Bureau will initiate a pilot project to see how this new method will work for the data.  It would be nice to have the pilot project completed first and IF the data favors it, THEN pull the plug on Statistical Abstract.  And of course, if a new program is being established, it will take some time to organize, hire and train new staff, etc.  So we'll most likely have 1-2 years of no data being distributed.  Plus, the Statistical Abstract was user friendly.  Anybody and everybody could and did use it.  From what I'm reading here, the data will be posted online in a more timely manner and probably be more accurate (if the data on this method bear this out)  but it will probably be more difficult for the casual user to ferret it out.  I could be wildly misinterpreting the report but I'm a little concerned that cart is being put before the horse.

Debbie Mongeau

Deborah Mongeau

Government Publications Librarian

University of Rhode Island Libraries

15 Lippitt Road

Kingston, RI 02881-2011

tel:(401)874-4610

e-mail: dmongeau at uri.edu  OR  djmongeau at gmail.com

On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 10:28 AM, Jeremy D. Darrington < jdarring at princeton.edu> wrote:

> The Department of Commerce's 2012 Congressional Budget Justification 

> document confirms that:

> http://www.osec.doc.gov/bmi/budget/12CJ/Census_Bureau_FY_2012_Congressional_Submission.pdf. 

> See pp. 82-92 of the PDF. This doesn't appear to be a cut purely for 

> lack of money, though; it appears that this is a strategic decision to 

> shift focus and funds to a new program to enhance the federal 

> statistical system's use of administrative records instead of direct collection from the population.

> 

> Jeremy Darrington

> Social Science Librarian for Politics

> jdarring at princeton.edu

> Princeton University

From: Discussion of Government Document Issues [mailto:GOVDOC-L at lists.psu.edu] On Behalf Of Cismowski, David

Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 12:48 PM

To: GOVDOC-L at LISTS.PSU.EDU

Subject: Re: update on Census Bureau program cuts

I have a visceral sense of loss upon learning that the Dept. of Commerce is evidently planning to stop publication of the Statistical Abstract in any format whatsoever--print or PDF.

The value of the Statistical Abstract is not in the data contained in the publication.  Most of those data can be discovered by laboriously combing through other publications and online resources.

The value lies in the intellectual work expended to pre-coordinate those data so users don't have to laboriously search for disparate data elements, then manually work to cumulate them or write programs to cumulate them.  For, as we all know, government agencies are great at publishing data; however, government agencies are not so good at organizing statistical data into useable chunks, thereby enabling easy longitudinal comparisons.

I once assisted a Census researcher who had a massive number of census schedules spread out over an entire reading room table.  All he wanted to do was find the decennial population change for a few major U.S.

cities, over 50 years time.  He thought he had to consult individual schedules for five separate decennial censuses to get the figures he needed, take handwritten notes, then compile those notes into a table.

As I showed him, all he needed was two pages from the Statistical Abstract, pages that had already cumulated those figures into a handy table for him.

In addition to making a great number of time-bound data comparisons easy, the Abstract serves as a basic starting point for a statistical research project because of its tables' cited references and the marvelous introductions to statistical topical areas that inform a beginning researcher of the scope and history of statistical data pertaining to those topical areas.

A staple of newsrooms, TV and radio stations, business and corporate offices, independent researchers' libraries, and the libraries of information geeks across the country, the Statistical Abstract saves the United States economy millions of dollars of wasted time and productivity each year.  But, of course, nobody can prove that, because nobody measures such things.  It's admittedly just a belief that I feel is true.

According to page 87 of Commerce's 2012 Congressional Budget Justification (thanks to Jeremy Darrington for providing the link), suspending publication of the Statistical Abstract will save the government a little bit less than $3 million.  The assumption, I suppose, is that this will help reduce the deficit, thereby helping commerce and the economy.  That also is a belief.  One that I feel is false.

David

This message expresses my own opinions only and should not be construed as an official policy statement of the California State Library.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David Cismowski

Bureau Chief, State Library Services

California State Library

900 N Street

PO Box 942837

Sacramento CA 94237-0001

dcismowski at library.ca.gov

916-651-6814

916-214-3878 (cell)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-- 
Pam Klipsch MLS
Director

Jefferson County Library
5678 Highway PP
High Ridge MO 63049
636-677-8689

Missouri Chapter Councilor 2011-2013

-- 

Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District

P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR 97365
Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066

Work email: diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org

Home email: diedre08 at gmail.com

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