Libraries and communities Lee Rainie - @lrainie Director, Pew Research Center’s Internet Project Presented to: New England Library Association October 21, 2013

“Tell the truth, and trust the people” -- Joseph N. Pew, Jr. http://bit.ly/dUvWe3 http://bit.ly/100qMub

What is the Pew Internet Project? A comprehensive and groundbreaking new report released Monday by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project has found that only four users of Facebook derive pleasure of any kind from the popular social networking website. According to the report, the remainder of the 950 million people registered with Facebook, despite using the site on a regular basis, take no joy in doing so, and in fact feel a profound sense of hopelessness and despair immediately upon logging in… .... “As it turns out, the vast majority of human beings tend to become depressed when they see the past five years of their life summarized right there in front of them in a sad little timeline,” said lead researcher John Elliott. Number Of Users Who Actually Enjoy Facebook Down To 4 http://www.theonion.com/articles/number-of-users-who-actually-enjoy-facebook-down-t,29503/?ref=auto

My six points Libraries are deeply appreciated at the community level Libraries have a PR problem Libraries are well used by some groups and are quite removed from others Libraries have a mandate to intervene The signals about what the public wants in the future from libraries are mixed Reinvention is a community contact sport

My six points Libraries are deeply appreciated at the community level Libraries have a PR problem Libraries are well used by some groups and are quite removed from others Libraries have a mandate to intervene The signals about what the public wants in the future from libraries are mixed Reinvention is a community contact sport

Libraries are perceived as important 91% say libraries are important to their communities 76% say libraries are important to them and their families Robert Dawson photography - Library Road Trip http://www.robertdawson.com/pages/1/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/

Quick news flash: New preliminary data Having a public library improves the quality of life in a community Public libraries are important because they promote literacy and a love of reading Because it provides free access to materials and resources, the public library plays an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed Public libraries provide many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere ---- Disagree: Public libraries have NOT done a good job keeping up with new technologies

… more … Split verdict: People do NOT need public libraries as much as they used to because they can find most information on their own

Libraries stack up well vs. others How confident? How important? ©2010 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

People like librarians 98% of “ever” library visitors say interactions are “very/mostly positive” 81% of library visitors say librarians are “very helpful” 50% of “last year” visitors got help from a librarian

Libraries have rebranded themselves as tech hubs 80% of Americans say borrowing books is a “very important” service libraries provide 80% say reference librarians are a “very important” service 77% say free access to computers and the internet is a “very important” service 76% say quiet study spaces are a “very important” service

How people use in-library computers (26% do so) 66% of those who used the internet at a library in the past 12 months did research for school or work.  63% browsed the internet for fun or to pass the time.  54% used email.  47% got health information. 41% visited government websites or got info about gov services.  36% looked for jobs or applied for jobs online.  35% visited social networking sites.  26% downloaded or watched online video.  16% bought a product online. 16% paid bills or did online banking. 16% took an online class completed online certification program.

My six points Libraries are deeply appreciated at the community level Libraries have a PR problem Libraries are well used by some groups and are quite removed from others Libraries have a mandate to intervene The signals about what the public wants in the future from libraries are mixed Reinvention is a community contact sport

Many of their patrons and biggest fans can’t answer the Marvin Gaye question …

What’s going on? 22% say that they know all or most of the services their libraries offer 46% say they know some of what their libraries offer 31% said they know not much or nothing at all of what their libraries offer

Library non-users who are fans and should be primed to listen 38% 31% 23% 22%

My six points Libraries are deeply appreciated at the community level Libraries have a PR problem Libraries are well used by some groups and are quite removed from others Libraries have a mandate to intervene The signals about what the public wants in the future from libraries are mixed Reinvention is a community contact spor

% who have visited a library or bookmobile in person in the past year Library users   % who have visited a library or bookmobile in person in the past year All Americans ages 16+ 53% a Men (n=1,059) 48% b Women (n=1,193) 59a Age 16-17 (n=101) 62%de 18-29 (n=369) 57%e c 30-49 (n=586) 59%de d 50-64 (n=628) 51%e e 65+ (n=531) 40% Education attainment No high school diploma (n=254) 43% High school grad (n=610) 46% Some College (n=562) 58%ab College + (n=812) 63%ab Parent of minor Parent (n=584) 64%b Non-parent (n=1,667) 49% 53% 59% 40% 58% 63% 64%

Who uses library websites

Mobile connections now matter

My six points Libraries are deeply appreciated at the community level Libraries have a PR problem Libraries are well used by some groups and are quite removed from others Libraries have a mandate to intervene The signals about what the public wants in the future from libraries are mixed Reinvention is a community contact spor

Coordinate more closely with local schools in providing resources to kids Offer free early literacy programs to help young children prepare for school

Separate spaces for different services More comfortable spaces for reading, working, relaxing Offer a broader selection of e-books

My six points Libraries are deeply appreciated at the community level Libraries have a PR problem Libraries are well used by some groups and are quite removed from others Libraries have a mandate to intervene The signals about what the public wants in the future from libraries are mixed Reinvention is a community contact spor

Move some print books and stacks out of public locations to free up more space for things such as tech centers, reading rooms, meetings rooms, and cultural events

Personalize, Amazon-style recommendations Classes on how to download e-books Pre-loaded e-book readers Digital media lab to digitize personal material Instruction on how to use e-reading devices

My six points Libraries are deeply appreciated at the community level Libraries have a PR problem Libraries are well used by some groups and are quite removed from others Libraries have a mandate to intervene The signals about what the public wants in the future from libraries are mixed Reinvention is a community contact spor

“Market shortcomings” librarians could address

“Market shortcomings ”: Examples of community issues librarians could address Technology non-users - skills training in new literacies Pre-school programs After school activities English as a Second Language issues Lifelong learning opportunities / credentialing competency Fill gaps in local media ecosystem – community and civic information/curation Help for small business / entrepreneurs / non-profits Serendipity agents of discovery

Be not afraid

Libraries.pewinternet.org Lee Rainie Email: lrainie@pewinternet.org Twitter: @Lrainie Kathryn Zickuhr Email: kzickuhr@pewinternet.org Twitter: @kzickuhr Kristen Purcell Email: @kpurcell@pewinternet.org Twitter: @kristenpurcell