Population schedules are the main census materials of interest to historians and genealogists. They name the head of households from the original 1790 census until today. From 1850 on, an entire family is listed by name with age, vocation, education, nationality, birthplace, birthplace of parents and home ownership are listed. As the census taker went door to door and street by street, entire neighborhoods and cities can be examined, documented, and recreated. An example is shown above. 

The 1940 Census was released in April 2,  2012 as the first census fully digitized upon release.  While great indexing work is continuing,   this collection is a snapshot of Americans who had just survived the Great Depression of the 1930s and were about to enter the Second World War.   Below is the announcement from the National Archives web site.

Please bookmark this page: 1940census.archives.gov.
This is where you will be able to access the digitized census records.The digital images will be accessible free of charge at NARA facilities nationwide through our public access computers as well as on personal computers via the internet.

The Microforms Center houses the entire population schedules for Ohio from 1820, which was the first extensive enumeration after statehood, until the dawn of the American Civil War in 1860. Additionally, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties schedules are available from 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920,  and 1930. Many records from the important 1890 census when the greatest European immigration was in full swing were tragically lost in a fire.

The population schedules are fascinating primary resources whose use is often hindered by the handwriting and spelling of the local person hired to tabulate his particular section of town. However many pages are written with beautiful penmanship.  For some states, there are online versions of the first census which can be accessed via the following links: Maine, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.

Paper indexes with an alphabetical list of the heads of household for the Ohio censuses from 1820 to 1860 are located in the Microform Guides and Indexes area in front of the Microform Center. They are arranged by call number, matching the film. For example, the call number for the 1830 Ohio Population schedule is Microfilm 0567. The paper index call number is Microfilm 0567 Index.