The Next Rural Library

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

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

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. http://bit.ly/124U9a4

5. The big questions • What’s the future of knowledge? • What’s the future of reference expertise? • What’s the future of public technology? • What’s the future of learning spaces? • What’s the future of community anchor institutions? • What’s the franchise?

6. Q7: Where do we fit on the dashboard? ALA’s “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

7. 5 big reasons your foundation is solid

8. 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 http://www.robertdawson.com/pages/1/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/

9. 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

10. … 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 important? How confident?

12. 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)

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

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

15. 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.

16. 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

17. Digital Revolution 2Mobile – 91% … smartphone 56% … tablets 34% 326.4 Total U.S. population: 319 million 2012

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

19. Libraries and tech

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

21. SNS Users Which groups are most likely? • Internet users under 50 • 18-29 most likely of any demographic cohort (83%) • Women • Rural internet users have caught up

22. Facebook Users • Facebook remains the most-used SNS platform – Which groups are most likely? • Women • Those under 50, especially 18-29 • Rural internet users were never far behind

23. LinkedIn Which groups are most likely? • Men • Middle aged • Upscale in education and income • Rural internet not nearly as likely to use

24. Pinterest Which groups are most likely? • Women • Under 50 • College educated

25. Twitter • Doubled in size since Nov. 2010 Which groups are most likely? • Those under 50, especially 18-29 • African-Americans are more likely than whites • Urban-dwellers

26. Instagram • Rivals Facebook in intensity of use Which groups are most likely? • Women • Those under 50, especially 18-29 • African-Americans and Hispanics • Urban-dwellers and suburbanites

27. 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) 24is 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!

28. 1 big PR problem that is not hard to fix

29. 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)

30. What they want you to do

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

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

33. **** Rural views notably different from others’ **** 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

34. 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

35. What they say they’d use

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

37. **** 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 **** Rural views notably different from others’ ****

38. the next rural library?

39. People

40. Place

41. Platform

42. Be not afraid

43. 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

44. Further notes on the big questions

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

46. 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: http://searchengineland.com/ Danny Sullivan & Co.

47. 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 21st Century Public Library Roger Levien

48. 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 Learning Douglas Thomas & John Seely Brown

49. 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 Age Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities

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