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Public libraries in the digital age

Public libraries in the digital age. Kathryn Zickuhr and Mary Madden Pew Internet & American Life Project Presented to: Chief Officers of State Library Agencies Spring Meeting April 25, 2012. About Pew Internet.

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Public libraries in the digital age

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  1. Public libraries in the digital age Kathryn Zickuhr and Mary Madden Pew Internet & American Life Project Presented to: Chief Officers of State Library Agencies Spring Meeting April 25, 2012

  2. About Pew Internet • Part of the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan “fact tank” in Washington, DC • Studies how people use digital technologies • Does not promote specific technologies or make policy recommendations • Research is primarily based on nationally representative telephone surveys of adults pewinternet.org

  3. About our libraries research • Goal: To study the changing role of public libraries and library users in the digital age • Funded by a three-year, $1.4 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation libraries.pewinternet.org

  4. RESEARCH TIMELINE Stage I (August 2011-July 2012) Libraries + new technologies • The Rise of E-Reading - Published • Includes special focus on reading habits of people who owne-readers or tablet computers • E-books and libraries - June 2012 • Will include stories and quotes from online surveys of library staff and patrons(in the field now) • Library use in different community types • The habits of younger library users

  5. RESEARCH TIMELINE Stage II (May-November 2012) The changing world of library services • The evolving role of libraries in communities • New library services • People’s expectations of libraries • “The library of the future” • The role of libraries in the life of special populations • Lower-income users, minorities, rural residents, senior citizens

  6. RESEARCH TIMELINEStage III (September 2012–April 2013) A typology of who does – and does not – use libraries • A “library user” typology • Different user “types” based on: • What their local libraries are like • How they use libraries • Attitudes about libraries in general • An updated, in-depth portrait of young library users

  7. What we have done so far…

  8. First report: The rise of e-reading 21% of American adults read an e-book in the last year 68% read a print book 11% listened to an audiobook

  9. The book format used by readers on any given day is changing % of adult book readers (age 18+) using this format on an average day, as of June 2010 and December 2011

  10. Who are the readers behind the screens? • Readers of e-books are more likely than other readers to be: • Under age 50 • College educated • Living in households earning $50K+ • Other key characteristics: • They read more books, more often, and for a wider range of reasons • More likely to buy than borrow

  11. How e-readers read their e-books% of all Americans age 16 and older who read an e-book in the past12 months, as of December 2011

  12. How device owners read their e-books % of owners of each device who read e-books on that device * = among people who own that device

  13. The contours of the gadget landscape 29% of US adults own a specialized device for e-reading (either a tablet or an e-reader) • 19% of adults own ane-book reader • 19% of adults own a tablet computer

  14. What kind of e-reader do you own? % of American adult e-reader owners age 18+ who own each type ofe-book reader

  15. What kind of tablet computer do you own? % of American adult tablet owners age 18+ who own each type oftablet computer

  16. Which is better for these purposes, a printed book or an e-book? % of Americans 16+ who have read both e-books and print books in the last 12 months

  17. When you want to read a particular e-book, where do you look first? % of readers of e-books age 16+, as of December 2011

  18. Additional takeaways for librarians • The gadget doesn’t make the reader, but it may change the reader • 41% of tablet owners and 35% of e-reader owners said they were reading more since the advent of e-content • A majority of print readers (54%) and e-book readers (61%) prefer to purchase their own copies of these books; most audiobook listeners (61%) prefer to borrow their audiobooks

  19. WHAT’S NEXTOnline surveys: E-books and libraries • Two surveys: • Patrons who check out e-books • Staff at libraries that lend out e-books • Online surveys = Stories, not statistics • Focusing on public libraries in the U.S. • In the field now; surveys will be open until Friday, May 18th

  20. WHAT’S NEXTOnline surveys: E-books and libraries • Patrons survey – Please share! • http://bit.ly/pewebooksurvey • No password • Librarian survey – Please take! • http://bit.ly/pewlibrarian • Email Kathryn at kzickuhr@pewinternet.orgfor password

  21. Thank you! Kathryn Zickuhr Email: kzickuhr@pewinternet.org Twitter: @kzickuhr Mary Madden Email: mmadden@pewinternet.org Twitter: @mary_madden libraries.pewinternet.org

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