Camden County Library System Helps with the 2010 Census

Two branches serve as sites for Questionnaire Assistance Centers

 

VOORHEES, N.J. – March 8, 2010 –  Haddon Twp. and South County Branches of the Camden County Library System have agreed to host Questionnaire Assistance Centers for people who need help completing the 2010 Census questionnaire being mailed to households in mid March.

The QACs will be in operation at the two library branches from March 19 to April 19 and will be staffed by personnel trained by United States 2010 Census. The branches are providing rooms to house the Centers as a public service, but they are not providing library personnel to staff the Centers.

At the South County Branch in Winslow Twp. located at 35 Coopers Folly Road, Atco, NJ, the QAC will operate according to the following schedule:
Mondays, 12 noon – 3 p.m.; Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Fridays, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturdays, 12 noon – 5 p.m. (except March 20)

The QAC in the Haddon Twp. Branch located at 15 MacArthur Blvd off Cuthbert Rd. will be open according to the following schedule:
Tuesdays, 7 – 9 p.m.; Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Fridays, 12 noon – 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 12 noon – 5 p.m.

Both branches will have posters or banners identifying the Centers as authorized assistance cites. In addition Haddon Twp., South County and the Bellmawr Branch on East Browning Rd. will offer “Be Counted” display boxes containing Census questionnaires in six different languages (English, Spanish, Chinese [simplified], Korean, Russian and Vietnamese) for those residents who may have difficulty with the English-only questionnaire mailed to their homes.

The Centers are intended to serve as a resource for people needing help filling out a form and to ensure they are counted only once as a resident from one specific place, according to the New Jersey State Data Center.

As part of the NJSDC, the State Library recruited other libraries across the state to participate in helping the 2010 Census to get an accurate count of New Jersey residents. The count is critical to federal funding and apportioning congressional representatives to the state.

“The stakes for New Jersey are high – our state’s share of 400 billion dollars in federal funds each year for the next ten years are distributed based on our population count,” commented the State Library’s Teri Taylor in a message on behalf of New Jersey State Data Center Advisory Committee. She added, “Political representation in Congress is also at stake as we work to keep our state’s 13 seats in the House of Representatives.”

Since last year the Haddon Twp., South County and Voorhees branches have been providing meeting rooms for testing and training of census bureau personnel as the 2010 Census geared up for its nation-wide count that starts later this month. In April, the Bellmawr branch will be a site for further training of census personnel as CCLS continues its support for the 2010 Census.  

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Established in 1921, Camden County Library System seeks to meet the recreational, informational and educational needs of its customers with locations in Bellmawr, Gloucester Township, Haddon Township, Merchantville, Winslow Township and Voorhees.   The Library is governed and supported by the Camden County Board of Freeholders and the Camden County Library Commission.