[CTPP] ACS Data Users

This new group may be of interest to some. With funding from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) and Sabre Systems are forming a new American Community Survey (ACS) Data Users Group. The purpose of the ACS Data Users Group is to improve understanding of the value and utility of ACS data. Membership in the group is free and open to all interested ACS data users. The ACS Data Users Group will not play a role in advising the Census Bureau or advocating to the Census Bureau on behalf of ACS data users. The group is led by a Steering Committee, of which I am a member, that represents a broad spectrum of data users with different interests. To facilitate communication among ACS data users, PRB and Sabre Systems will create and maintain an online forum, organize webinars and special sessions at professional meetings, and hold an annual ACS Data Users Conference. The online forum is the centerpiece of this project and will provide a discussion site where people can share messages, materials, and announcements related to ACS data and methods. Specific activities and topics will be determined based on input from ACS Data Users Group members, Steering Committee members, and Census Bureau staff. To collect information about activities and topics of interest to ACS data users, and to start assembling a preliminary list of ACS Data Users Group members, the Steering Committee has created a brief survey questionnaire (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ACSDataUsers). The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. Individual responses will be kept confidential; only the aggregate data will be reported. Please respond by March 8. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Mark Mather, Associate Vice President of Domestic Programs at the Population Reference Bureau at mmather(a)prb.org or 202-939-5433. Thank you for your time! -- Ed Christopher 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) FHWA RC-TST-PLN 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 600 Matteson, IL 60443