The Next Rural Library Lee Rainie Director Pew Research Center’s Internet Project Presented to: Association for Rural & Small Libraries September 26, 2013

“ Tell the truth, and trust the people” -- Joseph N. Pew, Jr.

3 “Tweckle (twek’ul) vt. To abuse a speaker to Twitter followers in the audience while he/she is speaking.”

4 we need a tshirt, "I survived the keynote disaster of 09" it's awesome in the "I don't want to turn away from the accident because I might see a severed head" way too bad they took my utensils away w/ my plate. I could have jammed the butter knife into my temple.

The big questions 1.What’s the future of knowledge? 2.What’s the future of reference expertise? 3.What’s the future of public technology? 4.What’s the future of learning spaces? 5.What’s the future of community anchor institutions? 6.What’s the franchise?

Q7: Where do we fit on the dashboard? ALA’s “Confronting the Future”“Confronting the Future” Totally physical (facilities and media) Individual focus Collection library (physical and virtual) Portal Me: Everything for everyone Totally virtual (facilities and media) Community focus Creation library (social, maker space) Archive (or Platform) Specialized niche

5 big reasons your foundation is solid

1) Libraries are appreciated 91% say libraries are important to their communities (90% of rural residents) 76% say libraries are important to them and their families (72% of rural residents) Robert Dawson photography - Library Road Trip /

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

11 2) Libraries stack up well vs. others How confident? How important?

3) People like librarians 98% of “ever” library visitors say interactions are “very/mostly positive” (97% of rural residents) 81% of library visitors say librarians are “very helpful” (82% of rural residents) 50% of “last year” visitors got help from a librarian (48% of rural residents)

4) Libraries have rebranded themselves as tech hubs 80% of Americans say borrowing books is a “very important” service libraries provide (77% of rural residents) 80% say reference librarians are a “very important” service (81% of rural residents) 77% say free access to computers and the internet is a “very important” service (73% of rural residents) 76% say quiet study spaces are a “very important” service (73% of rural residents)

Digital Revolution 1: Broadband at home - 70% (+10% more have smartphones) - Internet users overall: 85% Broadband at home Dial-up at home

17% of rural residents do not use the internet -1 37% of non-internet users in rural areas think the internet is just not relevant to them, saying they are not interested, do not want to use it, or have no need for it. 31% of non-internet users in rural areas cite reasons tied to their sense that the internet is not very easy to use. These non-users say it is difficult or frustrating to go online, they are physically unable, or they are worried about other issues such as spam, spyware, and hackers. 24% of non-internet users in rural areas cite the expense of owning a computer or paying for an internet connection. 10% of non-users in rural areas cite a physical lack of availability or access to the internet.

17% of rural residents do not use the internet -2 49% of rural non-internet users have asked a family member or friend to perform an online activity for them 15% of rural non-internet users live in a household with internet connection and other family members use it to go online 15% of rural non-internet users once used the internet but no longer do 1% of rural non-internet users would like to start using the internet

Digital Revolution 2 Mobile – 91% … smartphone 56% … tablets 34% Total U.S. population: 319 million 2012

+10% The rural story * Statistically significant difference +10% +8% No broadband, but have smartphones

Libraries and tech

Digital Revolution 3 Social networking – 61% of all adults % of internet users

SNS Users Which groups are most likely? Internet users under most likely of any demographic cohort (83%) Women Rural internet users have caught up Social Networking Sites % of internet users who use social networking sites All internet users (n=1,895) 72% aMen (n=874)70 bWomen (n=1,021) 74 Race/ethnicity aWhite, Non-Hispanic (n=1,331)70 bBlack, Non-Hispanic (n=207)75 cHispanic (n=196)80 a Age a18-29 (n=395)89 bcd b30-49 (n=542)78 cd c50-64 (n=553)60 d d65+ (n=356)43 Education attainment aLess than high school (n=99)67 bHigh school grad (n=473)72 cSome College (n=517)73 dCollege + (n=790)75 Household income aLess than $30,000/yr (n=417)75 b$30,000-$49,999 (n=320)72 c$50,000-$74,999 (n=279)74 d$75,000+ (n=559)71 Urbanity aUrban (n=561)74 bSuburban (n=905)71 cRural (n=336)69 Urban74 Suburban71 Rural69

Facebook Users Facebook remains the most-used SNS platform – Which groups are most likely? Women Those under 50, especially Rural internet users were never far behind Facebook % of internet users who use Facebook Use Facebook All internet users (n=1,445)71% aMen (n=734)66 bWomen (n=711)76 a Race/ethnicity aWhite, Non-Hispanic (n=1,025)72 bBlack, Non-Hispanic (n=138)76 cHispanic (n=169)73 Age a18-29 (n=267)84 cd b30-49 (n=473)79 cd c50-64 (n=401)60 d65+ (n=278)45 Education attainment aLess than high school (n=73)74 bHigh school grad (n=312)71 cSome College (n=433)75 d dCollege + (n=619)68 Household income aLess than $30,000/yr (n=328)76 d b$30,000-$49,999 (n=259)76 c$50,000-$74,999 (n=187)68 d$75,000+ (n=486)68 Urbanity aUrban (n=479)75 bSuburban (n=700)69 cRural (n=266)71 Urban75 Suburban69 Rural71

LinkedIn % of internet users who use LinkedIn Use LinkedIn All internet users (n=1,445)22% aMen (n=734)24 a bWomen (n=711)19 Race/ethnicity aWhite, Non-Hispanic (n=1,025)22 c bBlack, Non-Hispanic (n=138)30 c cHispanic (n=169)13 Age a18-29 (n=267)15 b30-49 (n=473)27 ad c50-64 (n=401)24 ad d65+ (n=278)13 Education attainment aLess than high school (n=73)8 bHigh school grad (n=312)13 cSome College (n=433)16 dCollege + (n=619)38 abc Household income aLess than $30,000/yr (n=328)12 b$30,000-$49,999 (n=259)13 c$50,000-$74,999 (n=187)22 ab d$75,000+ (n=486)38 abc Urbanity aUrban (n=479)23 c bSuburban (n=700)26 c cRural (n=266)8 LinkedIn Which groups are most likely? Men Middle aged Upscale in education and income Rural internet not nearly as likely to use Urban23* Suburban26* Rural8

Pinterest % of internet users who use Pinterest Use Pinterest All internet users (n=1,445)21% aMen (n=734)8 bWomen (n=711)33 a Race/ethnicity aWhite, Non-Hispanic (n=1,025)21 bBlack, Non-Hispanic (n=138)20 cHispanic (n=169)18 Age a18-29 (n=267)27 cd b30-49 (n=473)24 cd c50-64 (n=401)14 d65+ (n=278)9 Education attainment aLess than high school (n=73)16 bHigh school grad (n=312)17 cSome College (n=433)20 dCollege + (n=619)25 ab Household income aLess than $30,000/yr (n=328)15 b$30,000-$49,999 (n=259)21 c$50,000-$74,999 (n=187)21 d$75,000+ (n=486)27 a Urbanity aUrban (n=479)19 bSuburban (n=700)23 c cRural (n=266)17 Pinterest Which groups are most likely? Women Under 50 College educated Urban19 Suburban23* Rural17

Twitter Doubled in size since Nov Which groups are most likely? Those under 50, especially African-Americans are more likely than whites Urban-dwellers Twitter % of internet users who use Twitter Use Twitter All internet users (n=1,445)18% aMen (n=734)17 bWomen (n=711)18 Race/ethnicity aWhite, Non-Hispanic (n=1,025)16 bBlack, Non-Hispanic (n=138)29 ac cHispanic (n=169)16 Age a18-29 (n=267)31 bcd b30-49 (n=473)19 cd c50-64 (n=401)19 d65+ (n=278)5 Education attainment aLess than high school (n=73)14 bHigh school grad (n=312)17 cSome College (n=433)18 dCollege + (n=619)18 Household income aLess than $30,000/yr (n=328)17 b$30,000-$49,999 (n=259)18 c$50,000-$74,999 (n=187)15 d$75,000+ (n=486)19 Urbanity aUrban (n=479)18 c bSuburban (n=700)18 c cRural (n=266)11 Urban18* Suburban18* Rural11

Instagram Rivals Facebook in intensity of use Which groups are most likely? Women Those under 50, especially African-Americans and Hispanics Urban-dwellers and suburbanites Urban22* Suburban18* Rural6 Instagram % of internet users who use Instagram Use Instagram All internet users (n=1,445)17% aMen (n=734)15 bWomen (n=711)20 a Race/ethnicity aWhite, Non-Hispanic (n=1,025)12 bBlack, Non-Hispanic (n=138)34 a cHispanic (n=169)23 a Age a18-29 (n=267)37 bcd b30-49 (n=473)18 cd c50-64 (n=401)6 d65+ (n=278)1 Education attainment aLess than high school (n=73)12 bHigh school grad (n=312)17 cSome College (n=433)21 ad dCollege + (n=619)15 Household income aLess than $30,000/yr (n=328)18 b$30,000-$49,999 (n=259)20 c$50,000-$74,999 (n=187)15 d$75,000+ (n=486)16 Urbanity aUrban (n=479)22 c bSuburban (n=700)18 c cRural (n=266)6

5) Reading is alive and well 75% of those ages 16 and older read a book in the previous year (73% of rural residents), including 23% who read an e-book (15% of rural residents) 15 is the mean/average number of books read in past 12 months by book readers (17 books for rural residents) and median/midpoint is 6 (7 for rural residents) 24 is mean/average for e-book readers (24 for rural e-book readers) 30% of e-content consumers who are reading more now because e-content is available (29% of rural residents) 41% for tablet owners (43% for rural residents) 5% of those 16+ have borrowed an e-book from a library (4% of rural residents) – and they are book buyers, too!

1 big PR problem that is not hard to fix

Answer the Marvin Gaye question 22% say that they know all or most of the services their libraries offer (22% of rural residents) 46% say they know some of what their libraries offer (45% of rural residents) 31% said they know not much or nothing at all of what their libraries offer (31% of rural residents)

How to fix: Go to already-affectionate publics 22% 23% 31% 38%

What they want you to do

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

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

Offer more interactive learning experiences similar to museums Help users digitize material such as family photos / historical documents **** Move most library services online so users can access them without having to visit library **** Make most services automated, so people can find what they need and check out material on their own without help from staff **** Rural views notably different from others’ ****

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

What they say they’d use

Online research service – “ask a librarian” **** Cell GPS app to navigate library **** A tech “petting zoo” to try out new stuff **** Cell app to use to access library services **** Kiosks (“Redbox”) around town for lib. checkouts **** Rural views notably different from others’ ****

Pre-loaded e-book readers Classes on how to download e-books **** Personalize, Amazon-style recommendations **** **** Digital media lab to digitize personal material **** Instruction on how to use e-reading devices **** Rural views notably different from others’ ****

the next rural library?

People

Place

Platform

Be not afraid

Libraries.pewinternet.org Lee Rainie Kathryn Zickuhr Kristen Purcell

Further notes on the big questions

Q1: What is the future of knowledge? How is it created? What are its interfaces? How is it disseminated? Homework: Too Big To KnowToo Big To Know David Weinberger

Q2: What is the future of reference expertise? How do you search for information? How do you aggregate / curate it? What new literacies are required to understand it? Homework: Danny Sullivan & Co.

Q3: What is the future of public technology What is the future of knowledge access points? What divides persist / emerge? What lending models are enabled in a new era of property / subscription / sharing? Homework: Confronting the Future: Strategic Visions for the 21 st Century Public LibraryConfronting the Future: Strategic Visions for the 21 st Century Public Library Roger Levien

Q4: What is the future of learning spaces What fosters collaboration? Creativity? Problem solving? What is the role of solitude and quiet spaces? What other alliances can you strike with institutions that share your goals about providing key information to your community? Homework: A New Culture of LearningA New Culture of Learning Douglas Thomas & John Seely Brown

Q5: What is the future of community anchor institutions Does local matter? What does our community need? Homework: Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital AgeInforming Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities

Q6: What’s the franchise? What’s the commodity? Homework: The Innovators DilemmaThe Innovators Dilemma The Innovators Solution Clayton Christensen, Michael Raynor

“Market failures” librarians could address Starts with non-library users – what are their needs? Hopes? Aspirations? Pre-school After school ESL Help for small business / entrepreneurs Necessity for lifelong learning / credentialing competency New literacies Become “diversity nodes” in social networks – becomes “connector” of networked people and ideas Serendipity in discovery Fill gaps in local media ecosystem – community and civic information/curation Fulfill role as trusted and free institution