Genealogists will have digital access to the 1940 Census when the report is released on April 2. This is a big step toward making the archives more accessible to the public through technology. The most recent census -- which covers the 1930s -- is available through the libraries via microfilm that usually has to be reserved and ordered.
However, as of now, the 1940 Census will not include a name index, so users will have to know the enumeration district in which the person they are searching for lived in 1940. The National Archives provides maps with the numbers on its website.
To narrow down a search, the census asks a series of 34 questions about relatives in a family tree, and then asks another 15 about place of birth, language spoken and veteran status. It will also ask if the person had a federal social security number.
The National Archives Trust Fund will also be selling copies of the entire 1940 Census as well as copies of individual states in both digital and microfilm format.
The U.S. has been working for more than a decade to find a better solution to store its records and make them accessible to the public.