Since 1790, the United States government has conducted a census of the nation's population every 10 years. This census counts the number of people in the nation, while also gathering some personal, social, and economic characteristics of these people. Starting in 1940, the Census Bureau also began conducting a census of housing, which counts the number of residential dwellings and compiles information on selected physical and financial characteristics of these buildings. In addition, the Census Bureau conducts government and economic censuses every five years and more than a hundred other surveys every year. 

Grand Valley State University receives a wide variety of Census materials as a selective depository in the Federal Depository Library Program. Because GVSU did not become a depository for these materials until 1963, the bulk of the library's census publications begin with the 1970 Census. For those looking for Census information prior to 1970, see our page about Historical Census Publications. 

The vast majority of Census publications are located in Zumberge Government Documents, which is on the north side of the 4th floor of the Zumberge Library in Allendale. Other materials mentioned in this guide can be found in the Zumberge Stacks on the 2nd and 3rd floor of the Allendale library, Zumberge Reference on the 1st floor of the Allendale library, Seidman House, which is located on the Allendale Campus, the Steelcase Library on the Pew Campus in Grand Rapids, and the Frey Foundation Learning Center at the Center for the Health Sciences.