COMMUNITY PARTNERS: AMERICA'S LIBRARIES

The American Library Association (ALA) published a brief about the important role that public libraries play in helping to ensure a complete and accurate census. The report, linked below, urges local decision makers—government agencies, complete count committees, and community organizations—to collaborate with public libraries to help people access information and technology related to the upcoming 2020 Census.

The ALA includes impressive statistics to support their case:

  • Over 6,000 libraries hosted U.S. Census Bureau outreach in 2010

  • 99% of Hard-to-Count (HTC) census tracts live within five miles of a public library

Public libraries have the potential to be great partners for localized complete count efforts. However, a key challenge for local decision makers involves securing resources to fund staff time, technology, and communication efforts that will ultimately support a fair and accurate census.

The ALA Libraries’ Guide to the Census 2020 can be found here.

Jason Jurjevich