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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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 . 
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.

13. 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

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

15. 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

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

17. 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

18. % 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%

19. Who uses library websites

20. Mobile connections now matter

21. 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

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

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

24. 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

25. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. “Market shortcomings” librarians could address

30. “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

31. Be not afraid

32. Libraries.pewinternet.org Lee Rainie
Kathryn Zickuhr
Kristen Purcell