-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        zip code data
Date:   Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:09:35 -0500
From:   [log in to unmask]
To:     Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship
<[log in to unmask]>



Our office defines the ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) at the Census
Bureau, as well as all the other geographic areas other than
metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas.  ZCTAs have two big
advantages, they allow easy use of our demographic and housing data, and
they are free.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is a wealth of information, but they are
a for-profit entity.  They do have carrier route shapefiles, but they
are only for their internal use.  The USPS is developing plans to have
actual ZIP Code shapefiles, but they will have a cost and I am not aware
of a schedule for their release.
There are private companies like Maponics that have ZIP Code shapefiles,
but again they are for a cost.
Vince Osier, Branch Chief
Geographic Standards & Criteria Branch
Geography Division
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC

-----"Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship"
<[log in to unmask]> wrote: -----
To: [log in to unmask]
From: "Angie Cope, American Geographical Society Library, UW Milwaukee"
Sent by: "Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship"
Date: 11/15/2012 09:05AM
Subject: zip code data

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        zip code data
Date:   Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:44:07 +0000
From:   Kollen, Chris <[log in to unmask]>
To:     [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>



Hi:

I need some help finding zip code data.  A UA student who is working on
a GIS project is looking for a shapefile of zip code data, .  She is
looking for is the actual zip code data and not the zip code tabulation
areas (that’s easy to find through the census bureau).  She wants the
actual postal routes. I couldn’t see anything obvious on the Post Office
website, but they would be the original source.  I’m not sure how easy
it is to get data from them.

Thanks for any advice or leads!

Chris Kollen

*From:*Leigh B Perry [mailto:lperry
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>@email.arizona.edu
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>]
*Sent:* Wednesday, November 14, 2012 2:40 PM
*To:* Kollen, Chris
*Subject:* data question

Hi!

I'm a current UA student, working on a GIS project that will require a
shapefile of zip code data.  So far, I've had no luck finding a source,
and I wondered whether there might be a zip code shapefile in the
University library's data holdings.

While there are lots of things on the Internet which purport to be zip
code data, most of them are polygon data of questionable origin and
processing.  The actual zip code data would be linear, because it
consists of postal routes.

Thanks,
Leigh Perry