Hayward Public Library to operate Census Questionnaire Assistance Centers

HAYWARD, Calif., March 11, 2020—The Hayward Public Library will begin providing multilingual support next week for residents seeking assistance responding to the 2020 U.S. Census questionnaire.

Between March 12 and 16, households in Hayward and across the country are scheduled to begin receiving official U.S. Census Bureau mail with instructions on how to complete the 2020 Census questionnaire online, by phone or by mail.

On Monday, March 16, the Hayward Public Library will begin operating Census Questionnaire Assistance Centers at its downtown location, 888 C Street, and Weekes Branch, 27300 Patrick Ave., during regular business hours—11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

The Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs) will be staffed with trained volunteers called Census Ambassadors and supplied with supportive materials, including videos, available in 59 languages to answer residents’ questions. The Centers also will provide free access to computers and the Internet.

The QACs are part of an effort by the City of Hayward to promote understanding of and participation in the 2020 Census among all Hayward residents.

The Census takes place every 10 years and helps to determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow to states and communities each year to support health clinics, fire departments, schools, nutrition and transportation. It also determines how seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned among the 50 states.

By law, individual responses to the Census questionnaire and the personal information provided are kept strictly confidential by the Census Bureau, and the data is used only to produce statistics.