CHICAGO – The partnership between the American Library Association (ALA) and the U.S. Census Bureau has come to a successful conclusion, and the results are in.

The Census data released on Dec. 21 showed the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2010, was 308,745,538.

ALA partnered with the 2010 Census in September 2009 to help promote the value of accurate and complete census data and to create a positive impact on the questionnaire response rate.

To share the results, the U.S. Census released on online widget allowing visitors to quickly view the data on a state-by-state level. The widget is available on the Census website and on the ALA website at www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/dev/census.

The census will directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal and state funding will be allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, education, public health, transportation and much more. Another central component of the census is how it is used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and to define representation in state and local government.

“The accuracy of census data is critical to policy and decision makers in both Washington, D.C. and the state and local government,” said ALA Past President Dr. Camila Alire. “Not only do census data influence how trillions of dollars will be spent over the next 10 years, the data also help shape planning decisions in the local community such as services to the library to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”

For more information on the 2010 Census, please visit www.2010.census.gov. Additional information about the partnership between ALA and the 2010 Census is available at www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/dev/census
  

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