Encyclopedia of the U.S. Census

Anderson (history, Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Constance F. Citro (National Acad. of Sciences), and Joseph J. Salvo (Dept. of City Planning, New York) have revised and updated the first edition of this encyclopedia with the assistance of more than 90 contributors. The introduction to the American Community Survey (ACS) that precedes the articles is backed up by the publisher's blog about that enumeration, which was created in response to "a landmark moment in U.S. population statistics: the full transition from the 'long form' of the decennial census to the…(ACS)." The 140 signed articles that follow feature cross-references and brief bibliographies and describe principal census techniques, terms, processes (census taking), issues, and concepts. The book also offers 12 appendixes, including "Census Leadership, 1850–2010" and "U.S. Population and Area, 1790–2010." Although Thomas Jay Kemp's The American Census Handbook (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002) has subject sections covering ethnic groups and military personnel, it is primarily a guide to print and online census indexes and is dated. BOTTOM LINE This encyclopedia provides a valuable examination of the history and current status of the U.S. census. It will appeal to individuals interested in political science and history and is highly recommended for specialized reference collections.—Patrick Owens, Central Washington Univ., Ellensburg, WA