CANCELLATIONS
ATTENTION: Out of an abundance of caution due to COVID-19, all Census-related programming is cancelled at this time.
To access info about the library’s closure, virtual programming, and entertainment resources, visit our Closure page.
To access info about COVID-19, health concerns, and links to County departments and updates, visit our Health Resources page.
WHAT IS THE CENSUS?
WHAT IS THE CENSUS?
WHAT IS THE CENSUS?
The Census is a count of every person living in the United States, carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau every 10 years. The Census is nearly as old as the United States itself. The U.S. Constitution requires a count of the population every 10 years.
WHY IS THE CENSUS IMPORTANT?
WHY IS THE CENSUS IMPORTANT?
Dollars & Resources
Census data determines spending of federal dollars for local schools, roads, hospitals, child care and senior centers, and other services supporting our communities.
The state will lose federal funding of approximately $1,950 per person, per year, for ten years, for every person not counted in the 2020 census. That’s a loss of funding equal to almost $20,000 per person who isn’t counted.
Congressional & State Districts are based on Census data giving us a voice in our democracy!
YOUR PRIVACY IS PROTECTED
YOUR PRIVACY IS PROTECTED
It’s against the law for the Census Bureau to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or your household. The information can only be used to produce statistics.
KERN COUNTS! HOW CAN YOU BE COUNTED?
KERN COUNTS! HOW CAN YOU BE COUNTED?
It’s easy! Each household will receive a notice in the mail with directions on how to fill out the Census questionnaire online, by phone, or by mail. Visit census.gov for more information.
WHEN WILL THE 2020 CENSUS HAPPEN?
WHEN WILL THE 2020 CENSUS HAPPEN?
Reminders by mail will start in March 2020. A Census Worker will only visit your home to collect the information in person if you have not completed the Census questionnaire by the end of April 2020.
JOIN IN THE CENSUS READING CHALLENGE
Challenge yourself to read during the 2020 Census. Track reading, participate in activities, win digital badges, and more! Sign up for the challenge at your local Library branch or online. Register using Beanstack to track reading online or with the mobile app.
CENSUS PROGRAMMING
During January through April 2020, all Kern County Library branches are hosting a range of census-inspired programming, including workshops on how to research your family genealogy, coloring stations full of fictional family tree coloring sheets, family-themed storytime, and more!
Library workshops, performances, and events are FREE and open to the public. We’re adding more programs all the time! At times, programs may be re-scheduled or canceled without advance notice. Visit KCLevents.org to find out what’s new and to confirm the most up-to-date program information.
DISPLAYS AT ALL LIBRARIES
A HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY
HISTORIAL DE NUESTRA COMUNIDAD
Kern County is a rich, diverse home to many people from many places. View our displays to learn more about the history of our County.
CARRYOUT CRAFTS
ME AND MY FAMILY FINGER PUPPETS
MANUALIDAD PARA LLEVAR YO Y MI FAMILIA
Celebrate the 2020 Census by picking up this take-home craft from your local Kern County Library branch. You’ll get to make your very own family finger puppets!
Discover additional branch-specific Carryout Crafts in our full list of census-inspired family programming.
DOWNLOAD
ONGOING PROGRAMMING
EVERYONE COUNTS COLORING STATION
ESTACIÓN DE COLOREAR TODOS CONTAMOS
Celebrate the 2020 Census by expressing yourself through color! Pick up fictional family tree coloring sheets from your local Kern County Library branch.
ME AND MY FAMILY TREE
CREA TU AROBL GENEALÓGICO
Celebrate the 2020 Census by conducting your own family investigation. Gather the names for your family tree, draw or add pictures, and color to bring it to life!
CENSUS SCAVENGER HUNT
BUSQUEDA EN LA BIBLIOTECA
Celebrate the 2020 Census by searching the Library for specific books and other items, all while getting more familiar with our collection, in this inspired scavenger hunt.
COAT OF ARMS CREATIONS
CREA EL ESCUDO DE TU FAMILIA
Celebrate the 2020 Census by getting creative and making your own unique family crest!
DOWNLOAD
Discover more programming available at all Kern County Library branches with our online calendar at kclevents.org or view our online Census brochure.
GENEALOGY AT THE KERN COUNTY LIBRARY
THE GENEALOGY ROOM @ THE BEALE
Mondays 1-4pm
Tuesdays – Saturdays 11am-4pm
Housed within the Beale Memorial Library, the Genealogy Room contains books, magazines, printed vital records, and books on
heraldry and family names. Volunteers from the Kern County Genealogical Society are available to assist you in researching your family tree.
THE KERN COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
The Kern County Genealogical Society (KCGS) has been collecting and preserving genealogical records of Kern County since 1964. Educate the general public in all areas of genealogical research. Establish, conduct, and manage the genealogical library. Preserve, collect, and disseminate genealogical data and family histories worldwide. Visit kerngenealogical.org to learn more and get involved.
THE CENSUS & GENEALOGY
WHAT IS GENEALOGY?
WHAT IS GENEALOGY?
Genealogy is the study of families, family history, & the tracing of lineages.
THE CENSUS IMPACTS GENEALOGY
THE CENSUS IMPACTS GENEALOGY
Historical Censuses are vital records that genealogists use to research family history. People’s participation in the Census hundreds of years ago has a direct impact on the research conducted by genealogists today.
THE 72-YEAR RULE
THE “72-YEAR RULE”
The “72-Year Rule” mandates by law that Census records are restricted until 72 years after the information was collected. This ensures that the U.S. Government will not release any current identifiable information about any individual. For the purposes of research, genealogists have access to Census records from 1940. Census records from 1950 will be released in 2022.
WHAT IS GENETIC GENEALOGY?
WHAT IS GENETIC GENEALOGY?
Genetic genealogy is the use of DNA testing, in combination with traditional research, to study families, family history, and the tracing of lineages.
WHAT IS DNA?
WHAT IS DNA?
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is genetic code. Every single person has their own unique strand of DNA, and it determines our physical traits. DNA is made up of parts of our parents and all of our ancestors before them.
HOW DOES DNA INFLUENCE GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH?
HOW DOES DNA INFLUENCE GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH?
DNA can help solve mysteries in family history and confirm findings in traditional research. Although DNA is a useful tool, it is only one element of genealogical research.
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY RESEARCH
Access these resources to begin researching your genealogy through birth, marriage, and death records, as well as obituaries, gravesites, newspaper articles, and more.
FAMILYSEARCH.ORG
FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization and website that offers free access to genealogical records, education, and software. FamilySearch has been gathering records for the purpose of genealogical research since 1894.
FREE • AVAILABLE ONLINE
FINDAGRAVE.COM
Find a Grave is a free online database of cemetery records, collected through volunteer submission of photographs of headstones. Find a Grave has over 180 million records and has been gathering memorials since 1995.
FREE • AVAILABLE ONLINE
WIKITREE.COM
WikiTree is a free online collaborative family tree aimed at curating a single family tree through genealogical research and DNA. Since 2008, WikiTree has gathered 22 million records with 6 million DNA connections through 663,000+ genealogists.
FREE • AVAILABLE ONLINE
KERN COUNTY LIBRARY RESEARCH
Access historical newspapers with Newspaper Archive, view more recent newspapers with access to the Bakersfield Californian and New York Times, and view local history in our historical photographs collection.
FREE with a Kern County Library card • AVAILABLE ONLINE
ANCESTRY.COM
Ancestry is an online for-profit company that operates a genealogical and genetics database. Ancestry offers free access to text records and free software for developing family trees.
FREE LIMITED ACCESS
ARCHIVES.GOV
The National Archives is the U.S. Government’s collection of historical documents and makes them available for research.
FREE • AVAILABLE ONLINE
LIBRARIES BELIEVE EVERYONE COUNTS
The Kern County Library is dedicated to supporting the U.S. Census Bureau in Kern County.
The Kern Complete Count Committee (KCCC) is working locally to ensure everyone is counted.
NO INTERNET? NO PROBLEM!
Complete your Census form online at the kiosk nearest you. Visit any of our Library locations. For the most up-to-date kiosk locations, as well as community kiosk locations, visit KernCounts.org
ARVIN
Arvin Branch Library
Phone: 661.854.5934
201 Campus Drive, Arvin CA 93203
Monday – Thursday: 11am-7pm
Friday – Sunday: Closed
BAKERSFIELD
- Baker Branch Library
Phone: 661.861.2390
1400 Baker Street, Bakersfield CA 93305
Monday & Wednesday: 11am-7pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday: Closed
- Beale Memorial Library
Phone: 661.868.0701
701 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93301
Monday – Thursday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 10am-6pm Sunday: Closed
- Holloway-Gonzales Branch Library
Phone: 661.861.2083
506 East Brundage Lane, Bakersfield CA 93307
Wednesday & Friday: 9am-5pm
Thursday & Saturday – Tuesday: Closed
- Northeast Branch Library
Phone: 661.871.9017
2671 Oswell St., Suite B, Bakersfield CA 93306
Tuesday & Thursday: 11am-7pm | Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Sunday: Closed
- Southwest Branch Library
Phone: 661.664.7716
8301 Ming Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93311
Tuesday – Thursday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday & Sunday: Closed
- Wilson Branch Library
Phone: 661.834.4044
1901 Wilson Road, Bakersfield CA 93304
Monday & Wednesday: 11am-7pm | Friday: 9am-5pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday – Sunday: Closed
BORON
Boron Branch Library
Phone: 760.762.5606
26967 Twenty Mule Team Road, Boron CA 93516
Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 10am-6pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday: Closed
BUTTONWILLOW
Buttonwillow Branch Library
Phone: 661.764.5337
101 Main Street, Buttonwillow CA 93206
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday: 11am-6pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday: Closed
CALIFORNIA CITY
California City Branch Library
Phone: 760.373.4757
9507 California City Boulevard, California City CA 93505
Tuesday & Thursday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday, Wednesday, & Sunday: Closed
DELANO
Delano Branch Library
Phone: 661.725.1078
925 Tenth Avenue, Delano CA 93215
Tuesday – Thursday: 11am-7pm | Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday, Friday, & Sunday: Closed
FRAZIER PARK
Frazier Park Branch Library
Phone: 661.245.1267
3732 Park Drive, Frazier Park CA 93225
Tuesday – Thursday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday & Sunday: Closed
LAKE ISABELLA
Kern River Valley Branch Library
Phone: 760.549.2083
7054 Lake Isabella Boulevard, Lake Isabella CA 93240
Tuesday & Thursday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday, Wednesday, & Sunday: Closed
LAMONT
Lamont Branch Library
Phone: 661.845.3471
8304 Segrue Road, Lamont CA 93241
Wednesday & Thursday: 12pm-8pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday, Tuesday, & Sunday: Closed
MCFARLAND
McFarland Branch Library
Phone: 661.792.2318
500 West Kern Avenue, McFarland CA 93250
Wednesday – Friday: 10am-6pm
Saturday – Tuesday: Closed
MOJAVE
Mojave Branch Library
Phone: 661.824.2243
15555 O Street, Mojave CA 93501
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday: 10am-6pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday: Closed
RIDGECREST
Ridgecrest Branch Library
Phone: 760.384.5870
131 East Las Flores Avenue, Ridgecrest CA 93555
Tuesday – Thursday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Sunday-Monday: Closed
ROSAMOND
Rosamond Branch Library
Phone: 661.256.3236
3611 Rosamond Boulevard, Rosamond CA 93560
Tuesday & Thursday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday, Wednesday, & Sunday: Closed
SHAFTER
Shafter Branch Library
Phone: 661.746.2156
236 James Street, Suite 2, Shafter CA 93263
Monday – Thursday: 11am-7pm
Friday – Sunday: Closed
TAFT
Taft Branch Library
Phone: 661.763.3294
27 Cougar Court, Taft CA 93268
Tuesday – Thursday: 11am-7pm | Saturday: 9am-5pm
Monday, Friday, & Sunday: Closed
TEHACHAPI
Tehachapi Branch Library
Phone: 661.822.4938
212 South Green Street, Tehachapi CA 93561
Monday & Wednesday: 11am-7pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am-5pm
Tuesday, Thursday, & Sunday: Closed
WASCO
Wasco Branch Library
Phone: 661.758.2114
1102 7th Street, Wasco CA 93280
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday: 10am-6pm | Tuesday & Thursday: 4pm-7pm
Saturday* & Sunday: Closed; *First Saturdays are open from 10-6pm
WOFFORD HEIGHTS
Wofford Heights Branch Library
Phone: 760.376.6160
6400-B Wofford Boulevard, Wofford Heights CA 93285
Monday & Wednesday: 10am-6pm | Friday: 9am-5pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday: Closed
In partnership with the Kern Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census.
