ALA Community Scan

Indiana Community Analysis Resources on the WWW

Prepared specifically for Hoosier Librarians

By Roberta Brooker, the State Data Center Director at the

Indiana State Library and Carol O. Rogers, Information

Services Director at the Indiana Business Research Center at IU

How many people live in your community?

(If your library serves a significant number of people in neighboring communities, you may wish to keep two sets of population numbers her, one that includes only those within your legal service area and another that includes people in neighboring communities.)

www.stats.indiana.edu/web/pop_totals_topic_page.html/

Data includes municipal, township and county population estimates, historical data, and 1990 Census figures.

www2.statelib.lib.in.us/ils/toc.cfm

The Indiana State Library has the only site with exact LSA population figures for Indiana public libraries.

What is the projected population in 5 years?

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/web/pop_totals_topic_page.html

Indiana county and state population projections every 5 years to the year 2020.

2. What are the number people in different age groups living in your community?

Less than 5 years old Between 5 & 17 years

Between 18 & 64 years Age 65 and older

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/population/ageracesex.html

Data for each age group by state and county for every year since the 1990 Census. Interactive selection makes choices easy.

http://www.oseda.missouri.edu/mscdc/profiles/inxtabs3/

Provides 1990 Census data for Indiana counties, cities and townships with percentages.

3. How many single-parent households or family households are there in your community?

http://www.census.gov/datamap/www/18.html

Click on state, then county to link to the Summary Tape File 3A table, then choose #P17 to find information on different types of households.

http://www.oseda.missouri.edu/mscdc/profiles/inxtabs3/

1990 Census data for Indiana counties, cities and townships w/percentages.

venus.census.gov/cdrom/lookup/

1990 census data for counties, townships and cities and towns. Select STF1A, select geography and then choose number P15 and P16.

4. What languages are spoken in the homes of the people in your community?

venus.census.gov/cdrom/lookup/

Select STF3A, select geography and then choose number P31.

http://www.census.gov/datamap/www/18.html

Click on your state and county and link to the Summary Tape File 3A table, choose P31 to find data about languages spoken at home

5. What races or people of Hispanic origin are represented in your community?

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/web/pop_estimates_topic_page.html

1990 and 1998 county data for race data and gives percentages.

http://www.oseda.missouri.edu/mscdc/profiles/inxtabs3/

1990 Census data for Indiana counties, cities and townships w/ percentages.

6a. What are the three largest employers in your community? What do they do? How many people do they employ? How is this likely to be different in 5 years?

http://www.globalindex.com/chamber/uscc.htm

U.S. Chamber of Commerce lists Chambers for each city with address and telephone numbers to find out the largest employers in your community.

http://www.companiesonline.com/

Lists names of business by type of business but does not give employment.

http://www.harrisinfo.com/index.html

Business by type of business by zip code but does not give employment.

6b. What are the three major industries in your community? What do they do? How many people do they employ? How is this likely to be different in 5 years?

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/web/earnings_topic_page.html

County Business Patterns reports the number of establishments and employees by type of business.

http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/econ97.html

Economic Census provides information by county, by industry, for the number of establishments, employees and sales or receipts. Select the type of industry, select Indiana, and then page down to your county.

7. Are there any other significant employers in your area? What do they do? How are they likely to be different in 5 years?

http://www.globalindex.com/chamber/uscc.htm

U.S. Chamber of Commerce lists Chambers for each city with address and telephone numbers to find out the largest employers in your community.

http://www.companiesonline.com/

Lists names of business by type of business but does not give employment.

http://www.harrisinfo.com/index.html

Business by type of business by zip code but does not give employment.

8. What percentage of your community is unemployed?

http://www.dwd.state.in.us/labor_market.shtm

Click on Civilian Labor Force Estimates to see employment, unemployment and unemployment rates by state, county and metropolitan area.

OR, for interactive selection use:

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/web/labor_force_topic_page.html

Provides employment, unemployment and unemployment rates by state, county and metropolitan area.

9. What is the median family income in your community?

http://www.ffiec.gov/geocode/The Federal Financial Institution Exam. Council Geocoding System allows you to enter a street address, then click on “Get Census Demographic” to receive current HUD MSA median family income data.

venus.census.gov/cdrom/lookup/

Census Lookup provides 1990 census data for counties, townships and cities and towns. Select STF3A, select geography and then choose number P107A for median family income and P80A for median household income.

10. What percent of the families in your community are below the poverty line?

venus.census.gov/cdrom/lookup/

1990 census data for counties, townships and cities and towns. Select STF3A, select geography and then choose number P122 and P123.

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/web/county/povest_cty95.html

Provides 1995 county data for percent of people below poverty.

http://www.oseda.missouri.edu/mscdc/profiles/inxtabs3/

1990 Census data for Indiana counties, cities and townships with percentages.

http://www.ffiec.gov/geocode/Enter an address, then click on “Get Census Demographic” and then click on “More Income Data” to retrieve percent of people below poverty.

11. Are there many home-based business in your community? What do they do?

Take the total labor force number from one of the sites below and multiply by .039 to get an approximation of individuals with home-based businesses in your community or county.

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/web/earnings_topic_page.html

County Business Patterns reports the number employees by type of business.

http://www.usahomebusiness.com/in/index.htm

The USA Home Based Business State of Indiana Companion Site

http://www.census.gov/prod/3/98pubs/cenbr982.pdf

Census Brief on At-Home Workers

12. Does your community’s population change widely during different seasons? Which seasons and plus or minus how many people?

Local knowledge must answer this.

13. Where do people in your community get their information? How many are there of each of the following? And which provide it in languages other than English?

Local Newspapers, Radio, Cable, & TV stations

Bookstores, Video Stores

Retail Records, Tapes & CDs

Internet/electronic Services; Other (community organizations, etc.)

http://www.stats.indiana.edu/web/earnings_topic_page.html

County Business Patterns reports the number of establishments and employees by type of business.

http://www.infospace.com/Enter the business type, city and state to find the number of each type of business.

14. What other libraries are there in your community?

School (elementary, jr. high/middle school, and high school)

Academic (college and university); Hospital/Medical; Legal;

Special; Other

www2.statelib.lib.in.us/ils/reports/LibDistrict.cfm

The State Library provides names of public libraries by county in Indiana.

Print Source: American Library Directory

15. List the number of schools in your community. Are they public or private?

Pre-schools, elementary, middle/jr. high schools, high schools

Vocational/technical, Community colleges, Colleges/universities

www.com/hpi/us50/index.html

Organizes political information into pages including postsecondary, PK12 schools, and charter schools. A very handy guide with point-and-click maps.

IDEANET.DOE.STATE.IN.US/htmls/k12.html

Data is available for K-12, jr. high/middle schools, high schools, private schools, Indiana Colleges and Universities and other schools. Statistics for school districts are also provided.

16. Approximately how many home-schooling families are there in your community?

Approximately 2% of school age children are home schooled – use that percentage with numbers of school-aged children, found in the sites below.

www.stats.indiana.edu/population/ageracesex.html

Provides data for each age group by state and county for every year since the 1990 Census.

www.oseda.missouri.edu/mscdc/profiles/inxtabs3/

Provides 1990 Census age data for Indiana counties, cities and townships and gives percentages.

www.inhomeeducators.org/iahe.html

There are contact names listed for different regions in Indiana.

17. What percent of the people in your community aged 25 and older have at least a high school diploma or a GED? (Note: this includes all technical school and college graduates as well.)

What percent of people aged 25 and older have at least 2 years of college? 4 years of college or more?

www.oseda.missouri.edu/mscdc/profiles/inxtabs3/

Provides 1990 Census education data for Indiana counties, cities and townships and gives percentages.

venus.census.gov/cdrom/lookup/

Select STF3A, select geography and then choose number P57.

www.stats.indiana.edu/web/county/edattain90.html

1990 Education Attainment by Indiana counties with percentages.

18. List the number of medical care organizations in your community.

Hospitals, Clinics, Long-term and Rehabilitation Facilities, Hospices

www.state.in.us/isdh/links/local_dep/index.html

Listing of local health departments in Indiana

www.state.in.us/isdh/programs/community/chc_providers.html

Community health centers in Indiana

www.indico.net/counties/92map.html

Each county provides a variety of information including health providers. Under construction.

www.infospace.com

Infospace: enter business type, city, etc.

19. List the number of social service providers in your community.

Nursing Homes (extended care); Day Care Centers; Shelters, Halfway Houses, Drug Treatment Centers; Youth Organizations & Centers; Other (list).

www.indico.net/counties/92map.html

INDICO - click on county using map; each county provides a variety of information including community service organizations. Under construction.

Print Source: Local phone books

20. List (for small library communities) or estimate the number (larger communities) the types of the organizations in your community.

Churches; Religious organizations; Associations;Civic organizations

Clubs; Community organizations; Fraternal organizations; Other

www.indico.net/counties/92map.html

Click on a map that takes you to your county. Each county provides a variety of information including community service organizations. Under construction.

Print Source: Local phone books.

21. Are there state or county offices in your community? What services do these offices provide? Do the people who work in these offices live in your community?

www.indico.net/counties/92map.html

Click on a map that takes you to your county. Each county provides a variety of information including government agencies. Under construction.

Print Source - Directory of Indiana County Officials

This directory, published in odd numbered years after each general election, contains name, address, telephone number, political affiliation, and term

expiration of more than 2,000 elected and appointed county officials. More than 3,000 copies are distributed to county officials, state agencies and other key decision-makers. This publication is published and sold by the Association of Indiana Counties.

www.state.in.us/aic/index.html

Print Source - Roster of Indiana City and Town Officials

Contains information about each of the 573 municipalities in the state, as well as providing names of elected officials and major department heads. Available March 2000 (published every 4 years). Price to be determined. Each member municipality receives one complimentary copy of the Roster. This publication is published and sold by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns. www.citiesandtowns.org/

22. List the five most important issues facing your community in the next five years. Which of them relate to what the library does or could do?

http://www.incolsa.net/HTML/trends/millardj.htm

This site provides important trends affecting public libraries in the next five years, as perceived by INCOLSA.

23. List any special characteristics or any exceptional technological resources available in your community. (Number of local Internet providers, fiber-optic cable to the home, high-tech industries in tow, ISDN or ATM service availability, availability of Internet via cable TV, etc.)

Other resources about your community: