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with a reference librarian
We can help you:
Find or narrow a paper topic,
locate appropriate sources,
and more.
Email refdesk@augsburg.edu for an appointment
Librarian
Web Resources
- Amhest H. Wilder FoundationThis St. Paul health and human services organization provides and promotes social welfare for the poor, youth, the elderly, and others. See their research reports for policy discussions.
- Minneapolis Star TribuneMinneapolis' largest paper. You can read current and recent news free online. Use ProQuest Newspapers to access archived content going back to 1986.
- State & Local Government OnlineA directory of state and local government sites, you can use this to find information on anywhere in the country. Browse by state or topic.
- Minnesota County & Municipal OrdinancesProvided by the Minnesota State Law Library, these links can direct you to the ordinances of a large number of counties and municipalities in the state.
- North Star: Local Government TopicsThe state's directory of local government information. Includes links to county, city, and township websites.
- City of Minneapolis Official Web SiteIncludes the City Charter, Code of, budget and other initiatives.
- City of St. Paul Official WebsiteIncludes the City Charter & Code.
- Hennepin CountyLook here for resources like agendas and videos of County Board Meetings.
- Ramsey CountyLive and archived County Board Meetings.
- U.S. Census DataThe US Census provides access to data about the United States, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas. The data in American FactFinder come from several censuses and surveys. For more information see Using FactFinder and What We Provide.
Databases
- Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowNeed a neighborhood profile? This wonderful and easy tool gathers U.S. census data to map demographics all the way down to precinct level.
- Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new windowAn all-purpose database that contains thousands of full-text articles on all subjects, including some with a local slant.
- US Newsstream This link opens in a new windowProvides online access to the Star Tribune archives from 1986. Use the advanced search feature to limit by title or date.
Books
Look for books on local government in our catalog using terms like:
- Central Local Government Relations
- Local Officials and Employees
- Local Taxation
- Minneapolis Government
- Municipal Government
If your first search brings up too many irrelevant items, try using the Refine by Topic suggestions in the box on the left of the search results screen.
Here are some reference books that may be useful:
County and City Extra : Annual Metro, City, and County Data BookCall Number: View Online (2007 edition) Reference HA203 .C68 2009An extensive source of statistical data for cities and counties throughout the country, on topics including population, health, and crime.
State and Metropolitan Area Data BookCall Number: Reference HA202 .S84 2006A supplement to the Statistical Abstract, this focuses on statistics on the states and metropolitan areas of the United States. Look here, for example, for Physicians, Community Hospitals, Medicare, Social Security, and SSI data listed by major metropolitan area. You can view the 1997-1998 edition for free online.
The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs: Covers over 2,400 Suburban Communities in the 50 Largest Metro Areas – with RankingsCall Number: Reference HA214 .C66 2005Includes rankings and information on major U.S. suburbs. You'll find entries for Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs like Fridley and Minnetonka, and each entry includes brief historical information, population, income, housing, and other statistics.
Face of the Twin Cities: A Regional Look at Community Trends and Disparities by Call Number: Reference HC108.T85 M43 2002Here you'll find somewhat older data on topics like housing, health, crime, and education in the Twin Cities.
Demographics USACall Number: Reference HF5415.2 .D46This annual serial (which Augsburg has from 1993 on) has tabs to make it easier to use and a wealth of demographic information, broken down by state and county. How many clothing stores in Hennepin County in 2008? 1,116. In Aitkin? 3.