United for Libraries to host live webinar '2020 Census: What Trustees, Friends and Foundations Need to Know'

EXTON, Pennsylvania — United for Libraries is hosting a live webinar for members, “2020 Census: What Trustees, Friends and Foundations Need to Know,” on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Gavin Baker, assistant director of government relations at the American Library Association, will lead the webinar.

The live session and its recording are free for United for Libraries members (including Statewide Group Members). To register, United for Libraries members should login to the members-only zones (www.ala.org/united/trusteezone, www.ala.org/united/friendszone, or www.ala.org/united/states for Statewide Group Members (those in Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas). Members can also receive a registration link by emailing united@ala.org.            

The 2020 Census will begin in March and the results will shape economic and political opportunity for the next decade. More than $800 billion in federal funds will be allocated to states and communities based on the census results every year, along with seats for every level of government from Congress to school boards. Around the country, libraries are working with their communities to help achieve a complete count, from delivering accurate information about the Census to providing computers and internet for residents to respond online. In this webinar, learn about free resources from the American Library Association and opportunities for Trustees, Friends and Foundations to get involved.

The webinar will launch the first of United for Libraries’ Monthly Member Forums. Members are invited to a monthly forum on the second Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. All sessions will be recorded and posted in the members-only zones of the United for Libraries website. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations. A guest speaker will share highlights and information about the month's topic, followed by a Q&A with the speaker. At the half-hour mark, the format will switch to an open discussion among webinar participants. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.

Gavin Baker is assistant director of government relations at the American Library Association and co-lead for ALA’s work to prepare libraries for the 2020 Census. He earned his M.S. in library and information studies from Florida State University. He worked as a census-taker in the 2010 Census.

ALA Resources about the 2020 Census In 2020, the Census will be conducted primarily online for the first time. Like past e-government efforts, this will likely impact libraries and libraries' technology resources as staff work to assist people in participating in the Census. The 2020 Census also presents an opportunity to increase public awareness and use of Census data. To best position libraries to support our communities in the 2020 Census, ALA is engaging with the Census Bureau and other stakeholders to ensure that libraries are informed and represented in the policy discussions and planning process. ALA is advocating for a fair, accurate, and inclusive Census that recognizes the roles libraries will play in this vital civic effort. For more information, visit www.ala.org/census.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. To join, please visit www.ala.org/united or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161.