Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics 2004

Reviews / Votes

This 16th edition (7th ed., ed. by E. E. Jacobs, CH, Sep'04, 42-0049) is timely and useful, with updated chapter topics (e.g., in chapter 12, material on the American Time Use Survey) and new material on topics such as elder care and green jobs, technologies, and practices. Employment and labor statistics derive from both the government and the private sector. The historical publication data and some tables on unemployment go back to the 1940s, highlighting data culled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS; CH, Sup'98, 35SUP-326) and the Census Bureau (CH, Feb'12, 49-3060) websites. This ready-reference volume includes over 225 tables and figures with trend analysis, organized by subject in 15 chapters. Each chapter starts with an overview of highlights, notes, and definitions from the Census Bureau or the BLS site; data tables are followed by additional source information, with websites for sampling and estimating methods. Although the featured material is not unique to this handbook, this print version allows readers to easily thumb through the table of contents to locate information as a starting point; searching the BLS and Census Bureau websites requires considerable patience and the knowledge necessary to navigate mounds of data. The availability of accurate data compiled by the BLS is one thing; accessing and navigating the statistics is another. Academic audiences should find this handbook most useful, though general readers could benefit as well. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Especially business, economics, or labor collections; lower-division undergraduates and higher. * CHOICE *