March 3-6, 2020: The 2020 Census

As you may know, the Census happens every 10 years as mandated by the Constitution. The Census strives to count every person living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories regardless of citizenship status. For example, foreign students attending college in the US get counted. Public libraries like ours rely on the anonymous collected data to help answer reference questions, apply for grants, and better understand our communities. It’s only ten questions, and they’re basics like how many people live at your address, age, race, that kind of thing.

The Census also provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. The data that is collected this year will affect how we are allocated funding for the next 10 years! It’s estimated that Virginia will lose $2000 ANNUALLY in funding for every person not counted in the Census. The results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.

Starting March 12th, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you can respond for your household in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. When completing the census, you will include everyone living in your home on April 1, 2020. The public libraries will all have staff available to help you or someone you know complete the census! We have free wifi and public computers you can use, and some libraries will have Census Bureau staff on hand certain days to answer questions and help out. The online and phone Census is fully translated into 12 languages, and there are tutorials in over 50 languages online.

Many people are worried about privacy these days. The Census Bureau is bound by Title 13 of the U.S. Code to keep your information confidential. Under Title 13, the Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about you, your home, or your business, even to law enforcement agencies. Your answers can only be used to produce statistics. They cannot be used against you by any government agency or court in any way—not by the FBI, not by the CIA, not by the DHS, and not by ICE. All Census Bureau staff take a lifetime oath to protect your personal information, and any violation comes with a penalty of up to $250,000 and/or up to 5 years in prison.

So, if you want your government to better represent you, get more federal funding for your community, and you don’t want a stranger to come to your house about the Census this spring, take it early! Completing it online or by phone is quick and easy. Come to the libraries! We’re happy to help. You can also find tons of information at 2020census.gov.