When digital access to the 1940 rolls out on Monday, April 2^nd at 9 am Eastern time, only the National Archives will have the data. The 1940 Census will not have a name index for searching when it first becomes available. In order to locate someone, you will need to know his or her address and the Census enumeration district in which that address was located. 
 
To determine the enumeration district, go to the Online Public Access page put in the name of the town, the county and the state. Check the search results for the 1940 enumeration district number.  With that information you will be ready to search the 1940 census!

Check out the detailed questions asked in the 1940 census!  
 
A helpful and entertaining National Archives video (which includes footage from a 1940 film to inform the public about the census) is posted at YouTube.  
  
Databases like Ancestry Library are working to have the 1940 census available on its site in the near future. 

Read news from all around Minnesota highlighting the High School Basketball Tournament.

Do your loved ones know your healthcare wishes? Free legal help on advance care directives available on April 16 at William Mitchell College of Law. Learn more. Search the catalog by subject, Advance Directives (Medical Care),  for additional library materials.

Snopes is the authority to check out those forwarded emails and internet stories. Did it really happen? Likely not!

Don't turn your house into an assisted living center. Universal design incorporates attractive, east-to-use appliances and other devices.

The U. S. Government Printing Office (GPO) continues to develop mobile apps to expand its mission of Keeping America Informed. Be sure to check out the apps for official information from other Federal agencies too.

Donate your discards. Hennepin County shares possible places to donate items you don't want.

The Digitization Project of the Einstein Archives, to be completed in 2012, has 2000 images of documents written by Einstein and a searchable database of over 80,000 records of documents.

Think your invention might be patentable? Click here to get answers to your questions.

Dates: April 14, 2012 ; Time: Noon to 4 p.m.
Fee: $11 adults, $9 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members.
Highlights  of the event at the Minnesota Historical Center include a fashion show sponsored by the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent; performances by the Tibetan American Foundation of MN dance group and the Vietnamese Hoang Anh dance group. Demonstrations and mini-classes in Laotian weaving, Thai and Nepali/Tibetan cooking, Thai fruit carving, Oriental paper crafts and Philippine combat.


 

Even after the recent grueling cold and flu season, the sniffling may not end soon.  Unseasonably warm temperatures may trigger an early and uncomfortable allergy season.  Wondering if your or your child's sniffles are allergy or cold induced?  Watch this video, learn more about allergies in children and babies, and monitor pollen and mold levels reported on Pollen.com or the National Allergy Bureau (for the latter, MN pollen counts will resume April 2012).

Metro Transit offers free rides on St. Patrick's Day.

Named for the unexpected resolution to a musical phrase, NPR's classical music blog, Deceptive Cadence is an unexpectedly refreshing take on classical music, performers, and news from near and far about a music genre that is "not only still breathing, thank you, but vigorously evolving."

Kief Schladweiler, Coordinator of Cooperating Collections with the Foundation Center, will conduct a free workshop on grantseeking basics and proposal writing basics in the Best Buy Technology Lab at Minneapolis Central Library from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm on Tuesday, May 8^th.

Seating is limited, so please contact librarian Roger Lindsay at 612/543-8177 to reserve your space; please provide both phone and e-mail contact information if possible.  Roger will confirm your registration and send you a more detailed description of the event.

Minnesota Public Radio discussed this issue recently, and added some helpful links.  The National Council of State Legislatures  lists voter id requirements for every state.  Find out who is for and against voter ID and why from MinnPost.

We let you know about programs, book sales, and more on Twitter!

Find out where to dispose of appliances, electronics, mattresses, and more with the Hennepin County How to Get Rid of It Guide.   If you have items to donate including cell phones, bicycles, clothing, and more, find organizations that accept them with the Choose to Reuse Directory.  The Twin Cities Free Market is another way to give away (and get) free items.

Inside Higher Ed discusses predatory open access publishers, who charge fees to authors seeking to be published.

The multi-volume project will be complete in March with the publication of volume five (Sl - Z).  The 50-year endeavor known as DARE starts with 'Adam's housecat' and ends with 'Zydeco'.  The New York Times provides the interesting story behind the making of this landmark resource and why it took so long to complete.

Too many small businesses miss out on the tax deductions they are eligible for.  Small Business Administration has published a useful Fact Book listing several of the special tax breaks passed by congress to help small businesses through such programs as Small Business Jobs Act, the HIRE Act, and the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act.  Many of these deductions will expire after the 2011 tax year so take them while you can.  

Now is the perfect time to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture Farm (commonly referred to as a CSA). Find a few tips on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website.

Get your U. S. passport on Saturday, March 10 at the Minneapolis Passport Agency, 212 3rd Ave South, Suite 100. No appointment is necessary and the office is open from 9am - 3pm. Regular passport processing fees apply. More more information, visit travel.state.gov.

Reference USA is a directory of U.S. and Canadian businesses, U.S. white page listings, new businesses.

The Startribune's Homegirls is where you'll find a sampling of décor and design tips, franks conversation about holidays, homekeeping, home improvement. Also picks and pans of new products, stores and events.

Self-serve drop-off sites for unwanted prescription medicines, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and pet medicines are now available at three Hennepin County Sheriff's Office facilities in Brooklyn Park, Spring Park, and downtown Minneapolis.

National Women's History Month is a perfect time to research female ancestors.  "Invisible Women Ancestors"   provides great strategies for researching female ancestors who lived before the 20th century and who may be more difficult  to find in standard records

Once every 12 months, you can get a FREE credit report from each of the three major nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.  Go to AnnualCreditReport.com

Autopedia has links to several auto shows in and outside the U. S.  Scroll slightly down to check out the choices

Considered the last word on words, the OED is the Bible for lovers of the English language.  This online version lets you search the OED, study timelines that show when words entered the English language, lists the authors and works most quoted in the OED, and has the ever popular, sometimes wacky "word of the day"  Be ready to wax eloquent at your next fabulous gathering!

Students, do you have ideas about how education can be improved?  You are invited to participate in a National Competition by submitting a business plan and a video sales pitch for a new business or non-profit organization  that offers an innovative strategy, product or service designed to address challenges in one of these four areas: 1.  Middle Grades Matter, 2. Skills, Skills, Skills, 3. Education Pays or 4. Finish Faster. The deadline is May 1, 2012.