The 1940 Federal Census will be released on April 2, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The digital images will be accessible free of charge via the National Archives.
This Census is noteworthy in that it is the last one where all of the names of all of the respondents (willing and unwilling) are listed. However, you can't look anyone up by their name because there is no index; instead, you may need to use the Enumeration District in which they were counted (probably their place of residence, but if they were traveling, or in prison, or in the hospital, or something of that nature, then it could be different). Thankfully, the Census Bureau has provided us with a tool that makes it not too difficult to do just that. Obviously, if you are searching for someone in a small town, it will be easier to find them than it would if you were looking for someone in a large city.
The cool thing about this is, you probably know someone who was alive in 1940; they may remember the Census-taker knocking on the door and asking all of these questions. You should ask them. And if you are alive and remember taking part in the 1940 Census, drop us a line at aref@aclib.us and use 1940 Census as the subject. We'd love to hear about it!
In the meantime, you are welcome to visit at Library Headquarters to check out the census rolls we have on microfilm. You never know what you might find!
Image, The Great Plastic Dino Census, courtesy denn.
System status
A new library system and online catalog will debut on May 30. Here's the current status of:
- Checkouts: May 24-29 you must have your physical library card in hand to check out materials.
- Due dates: All checkouts will have a due date of June 22, except DVDs and GRU watt meters, which still have 7-day limit.
- Holds and requests: New holds and purchase requests cannot be placed until May 30, but those placed previously will continue to be processed.
- Returns: Please "Babysit Our Books" — keep them until the new system is running smoothly (mid-June).
- Registration: Continues as usual today, but cannot be done May 24-29, as our entire system will be down.
- Interlibrary loan: Continues as usual throughout the transition.
- Digital checkouts: OverDrive checkouts and holds will work normally throughout the transition.
- My Discoveries: Will be retired with the AquaBrowser catalog on May 24. Please retrieve any saved book lists before then.
- Website: The Library District website (www.aclib.us) will be up as normal throughout the transition.
- My Account: Account info will be available through May 24. Your account will appear on the new system on May 30.
- Bill payment: All payments including PayPal are working today. No payments can be accepted May 24-29
- New catalog: Watch for its debut on May 30, with new features.
More about the transition.
More about the new online catalog.
Have any questions? Please Ask Us!
