Almanac of the 50 States Praised as Essential Reference Tool; Updated Edition Available Now.

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb 18, 2008 -
Information Publications' Almanac of the 50 States, which provides a single clearinghouse for data on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, has been called an essential reference source. Writing in the February 2008 of Choice, S. L. Pham of the Kutztown University of Pennsylvania recommends the volume for all levels, saying "despite its compact size, this volume provides plenty of information on each state for readers conducting demographic analysis and research. The book is designed to be user-friendly...this almanac's convenience and easy-to-use style make it a valuable resource." Mansfield University’s Scott DiMarco, writing in American Reference Books Annual, agrees, adding that "This work is helpful for those needing information on numerous points or a quick fact. It should be included in all types and levels of libraries. It is very informative, easy to use, and well written."

A new edition of the Almanac of the 50 States, updated for 2008, is available now in hardcover ($89, ISBN 978-0-929960-46-3) and paperback ($79, ISBN 978-0-929960-47-0) editions. As part of Information Publications' State and Municipal Profiles Series, it is updated annually to provide a single ready-reference source for information on all 50 states, including data on Population, Demographics, and Socioeconomic Characteristics; Geography and Environment; Vital Statistics and Health; Education; Social Insurance and Welfare; Housing and Construction; Government and Elections; Government Finance; Crime and Law Enforcement; Labor and Income; Business, Industry, Poverty, and Wealth; and Energy, Transportation, and Communications.

Information Publications, a California-based reference publisher, also publishes statistical profiles for several individual states, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and North Carolina, with information about every city and county in those states. Publisher Eric Weiner recognizes the need for a single source containing a wide range of reliable data: "There's a lot of information available out there, but it's scattered all over the place, and much of it is hard to find. We saw the need for a single source that made the full range of data accessible to researchers and students of all levels and specialties."

Founded in 1980, Information Publications publishes two other series of reference books as well. The American Profiles Series consists of statistical sourcebooks for Asian, Black, and Hispanic Americans. The newly-added Essential Topics Series was begun this year with the title Energy, Transportation & the Environment: A Statistical Sourcebook and Guide to Government Data, and will expand in the future to cover other current topics of critical importance. Weiner says that the books are designed to be useful to many types of readers, including students, reference librarians, attorneys, researchers, government officials, journalists, and real estate professionals. "By bringing such a diverse set of data together in one volume, we save our readers the time and expense of gathering the data themselves."

Information Publications’ titles are available directly from the publisher, or from major institutional wholesalers like Baker & Taylor, Ingram, Brodart, and Blackwell’s. More information on the Almanac can be found at http://www.informationpublications.com/get_list_13.htm.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/10051821/1