The Hudson Area Library History Room Committee presents the exhibit The History of the Census in Hudson which will be on display in the library’s Community Room from February 6 until March 31. The public is invited to the opening reception on Thursday, February 6 from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. for shared viewing and conversation with refreshments. Since ancient times, societies have kept counts of their population for various purposes. The exhibit examines the United States federal censuses that have been taken since 1790, the New York State censuses taken since 1825, colonial censuses that precede the American revolution, and the upcoming 2020 federal census. This exhibit focuses on Hudson from its founding and even earlier times, and includes original 1845 census books for the City of Hudson, displayed alongside maps, documents and images that illuminate the area’s growth and history. The exhibit also includes information about the 2020 census and its importance to Hudson and its inhabitants. The exhibit was developed in collaboration with the Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History, an independent, not-for-profit study and research center devoted to collecting, preserving, and disseminating information relating to colonial New York under English rule. In the years spanning 1664 to 1773, New York province’s diverse European settlements and Native American and African populations fused into a cosmopolitan colonial territory with ties throughout the Atlantic World. The Institute is unique in focusing on this under examined 109-year period in American history. The Hudson Area Library History Room houses a special collection that pertains to the history of the City of Hudson, Greenport and Stockport; as well as Columbia County and New York State. The History Room also hosts the Local History Speaker Series at the library, offering free monthly talks on diverse topics related to the history of Hudson, Greenport, Stockport, and Columbia County.