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PLEASE NOTE: The following guide is for using USA Couties on CD-ROM. Much of the data is also available on the internet.

USA Counties on CD-ROM
Quick Guide

Contents

Overview

USA Counties on CD-ROM is a database produced by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. It contains statistical data from the Census Bureau, other federal agencies, and private organizations. This database gives demographic, economic, and governmental information about the United States, 50 states, and 3,141 counties or county equivalents. Data files can be downloaded in different formats.

USA Counties on CD-ROM can be accessed by selecting the Berkeley Information Network from the Library Information System PC opening menu. From the initial screen of the USA Counties on CD-ROM database,

select F1 to access technical documentation or
any other key to proceed to the data tables.

Note: The USA Counties on CD-ROM bottom bar on each screen lists the available command options with highlighted letters to be pressed.

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Subjects

The following subject areas are covered:
  • Age
  • Agriculture
  • Agriculture
  • Agriculture
  • Ancestry
  • Ancestry
  • Banking
  • Building Permits
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Earnings
  • Education
  • Elections
  • Government, Federal and Local
  • Health
  • Hispanic Population
  • Households
  • Housing
  • Income
  • Labor Force
  • Employment
  • Land Area
  • Manufactures
  • Population
  • Poverty
  • Retail Trade
  • Service Industries
  • Social Programs, Veterans
  • Vital Statistics
  • Wholesale Trade
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Sources

The files in USA Counties on CD-ROM contain all the county-level data from the 1983, 1988, 1994 editions of the County and City Data Book, the 1982, 1986, 1991 State and Metropolitan Area Data Book as well as data from the decennial U.S. Census of 1970, 1980 and 1990.

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Accessing USA Counties on CD-ROM

To access USA Counties on CD-ROM in a U.C. Berkeley Library on a Library Information System PC, click on:

E. Berkeley Information Network (CD-ROM Databases by Subject)

in the Library Information System PC opening screen. From the next window, select:

E. Government Information Databases.

In the next window, select the icon named

USA County Statistics.

In the initial screen of the USA Counties on CD-ROM database, two options are available:

Press F1 to access technical documentation or
any other key to proceed to the data tables.

Note: the bottom bar in each screen lists the available command options with highlighted letters to be pressed.

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Selecting the Geographic Areas (U.S./States/Counties)

In the upper lefthand corner, a list of postal abbreviations for states (e.g. AK, AL, CA, etc.) is displayed. Using the cursor keys the user can highlight U.S. or a State abbreviation and press [Enter] to select.

If U.S. was selected, a list of topics appears in the lower half of the screen.The user can highlight the topic of choice and press [ENTER] to select.

If a State was selected, a list of selections including State totals and county names will be displayed in the upper right hand corner. The user can press [ENTER] to select State total or, using the cursor keys and/or first letter of county, highlight the desired county area within the selected State and press [ENTER] to select.

After selecting the geographic area, an alphabetic list of tables appears in the lower half of the screen. The user can highlight the desired subject and press [ENTER]. The available data items will be displayed.

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Displaying the Data

When viewing the data, several options (usually displayed in the red bottom bar) are available by pressing one of the following keys:

Key Explanation
A Allows the user to select a different Geographic Area, then displays the data.
T Allows the user to select another table.
B Allows the user to browse the highlighted data item for other areas.
P Allows the user to print the selected table as displayed on the screen or a single item from that table for several areas to a printer or to a print file
C Allows the user to copy the selected table or selected records from that table to a file. For more information, see Copy Function below.
F Displays footnote information for the geographic area and data item selected.
L Displays the meaning of symbols used in the tables.
[F1] Allows the user to view and print the Technical Documentation (see above).
[Esc] Takes the user back to the previous screen.
[End] Exits the USA Counties 1994 "GO" software.
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Copy Function

Note: Only very few Library Information System PC's are connected to a printer. We strongly recommend that data tables are downloaded to a floppy disk (either 3.5" or 5.25"). Disks have to be formatted for IBM PC or compatibles.

Data tables from USA Counties on CD-ROM can be downloaded in various file formats that fit different applications such as database management or spreadsheet programs.

To start the copy process, press C (see USA Counties on CD-ROM bottom bar for other options). A window appears in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

After completing these selections, press F2. In the window in the upper righthand corner of the screen, specify the floppy disk drive and file name (no longer than eight characters) you wish to use for saving your data, then press [ENTER] . Available drives are:

At this point, the user must create technical documentation for the generated file, which does not contain all the field names. The created technical documentation lists field names as well as their descriptions, field length, and character type. To save the technical documentation to your disk, highlight the yes option in the window in the upper righthand corner and press [ENTER].

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