Search the Statistical Abstract with Facster

The Statistical Abstract of the United States has been mixed for better searching and results displaying at Facster ( http://www.facster.com ).

The front page is bloggy-like with quick facts and other information, but the search tool is on the left. You can do a simple keyword search or an advanced search. The advanced search page is at http://www.facster.com/AdvSearch.aspx?&p=2 and I like it. It allows you to narrow down your search by series to search (California Statistical Abstract, US Census, or Statistical Abstract of the United States), editions (current or all), or by certain terms (enter a blank search to get all 10,000 terms indexed by Facster.)

I searched the current edition of the California Statistical Abstract for Agriculture. I got a kind of collapsible outline result. Clicking on "Average Monthly Employment Covered By The Unemployment Insurance Code, By Industry, California", I got a chart of information from which I could select subsets (check the box, THEN click "Display Results" at the top of the page -- not intuitive but useful) and a button to get additional information with links, which took me to a page with the source of the data and a pointer to the relevant California agency.

You may also browse the abstracts from http://www.facster.com/BrowseFacster.aspx ; you also get the outline-type presentation here which eventually leads into charts and subsets of charts.

If you're more interested in more random information, you can also get random facts, which take you directly to charts of information. (You can also use a search form underneath the "Get Random Facts Now" button to narrow down the facts of interest you get back. Semi-random facts? The first time I tried this (no search items) I got back the resident population of Rhode Island with per capita energy consumption. The next time I tried it I got agricultural export value by selected country.

In addition to the searchable information, the site also has pointers to state statistical abstracts, statistical abstracts from other countries, Government Agency, NGO, and Corporate Abstracts, and a contact list for federal agencies with major statistical programs.

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