Have Your Say: 2010 Census Records!

This was posted today on the NARA blog and is reproduced in it's entirety here ...

It is a chance for you to make comments that will become part of a pemanent record.

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Genealogists, you love census records. I would easily nominate you as their No. 1 fan! Census records are rock stars for those who love to research family history.

Have you ever wondered what it will be like to research the 2010 Census records in the future?

The decisions about what is permanently kept are being made today, and you can have your say. Right now, the appraisal and records schedule of the 2010 Census are available for public review and comment. There is a Records Express blog post and a notice in the Federal Register, but we also wanted to make sure those of you who follow NARAtions are aware of the opportunity to review and comment.

Here are some tidbits from the appraisal:

• “Perhaps of most importance to genealogists, the proposed schedule provides that the 2010 decennial census forms will be preserved in the form of scanned images.”
• “…the proposed schedule provides that all permanently valuable records be transferred to the legal and physical custody of the National Archives within ten years of the completion of the census.”
• “The transfer of electronic records that have value for genealogic research is even more expedited. For example, the digital images of the response questionnaires are to be transferred to the National Archives no later than August 21, 2011, and the Individual Census Record File is to be transferred no later than September 30, 2013.”
• The appraisal also talks about the MAF/TIGER database and that the “extracts from the database will be incorporated into schedules for the programs divisions responsible for those products.”

Take a look at the 2010 Census appraisal and records schedule. I recommend reviewing the appraisal first because it provides an “Executive Summary,” which gives good background information. The appraisal provides the “Proposed Disposition” (temporary or permanent?), as well as the “Appropriateness of Proposed Disposition” and an “Appraisal Justification.”

Yes, together it’s over 40 pages, but if you’re a history and policy lover like me, I hope you’ll be up for the challenge of reviewing it!

Comments are welcome at NARAtions or the Records Express Blog. You can also email [email protected] or by mail to: NARA (NWML), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001 by December 30, 2011. All comments will be made part of NARA’s official file on the records schedule and will be preserved as federal records.

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