The 2010 Census may be seven years away, but the U. S. Census Bureau and northwest Queens, N. Y., are gearing up already. In August, census workers will begin walking through Astoria, Corona, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Long Island City and Woodside to verify and update the address list that will be used to mail out questionnaires to these areas for the 2004 Census Test.

During daylight hours, address canvassers wearing official census identification will visit each block and housing unit in these neighborhoods and identify every place where people might live. In particular, they will seek out residences that may not be obvious, such as subdivided houses, basement apartments and occupied rooms in a housing unit that constitute separate living quarters. Besides determining the location of not-so-obvious living quarters, the canvassers also may ask residents to confirm their street address.

"Census workers are hired in the test communities who know their neighborhoods, speak the languages spoken there and are familiar with area culture," said Tony Farthing, director of the Census Bureau's New York regional office. "They will carry easily recognizable official identification cards. I urge residents of northwest Queens to cooperate with census workers."

The 2004 Census Test is a trial of new methods and technologies designed to improve accuracy and completeness. It also will give the Census Bureau insight into how respondents react to changes in the wording of race and Hispanic-origin questions. "Census Day" is April 1, 2004.

By law, any information given to a sworn census worker is confidential. It cannot be disclosed to anyone not covered by the same strict confidentiality statute. Violations of this law can result in fines, imprisonment or both.