1. The 10 Most Important Insights from
Pew Internet’s Library Research
Lee Rainie - @lrainie
Director
Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
Presented to: Computers and Libraries
April 9, 2013

2. 1) Libraries are beloved
• 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
/

3. 1a) Libraries stack up well vs. others
How confident? How important?
63 28
Library to community
3

4. 2) People like librarians
• 98% of “ever” library visitors say interactions are “very positive”
• 81% of library visitors say librarians are “very helpful”
• 50% of “last year” visitors got help from a librarian

5. 3) 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

6. 4) E-book reading is growing;
borrowing is just getting started
• Late 2011: 16% of American
adults read an e-book in
past year – now: 23%
----
• 30% of e-content readers
say they are reading more
now
---
• Late 2012: 5% of Americans
16+ have borrowed e-book
from library in last year
• Growing awareness that
this is library feature: now
31% of public

7. Rise of e-reading devices
50% Ebook reader Tablet Has either tablet or Ebook reader
40%
40%
33%
31%
30%
25% 26%
20% 18% 19%
17%
12%
10% 10%
10% 8%
6%
4% 3%
0%
May-10 May-11 Dec-11 Nov-12 Jan-13

8. 5) People are open to even more tech at libraries
Very likely Somewhat likely Not too likely or not at all likely
An online research service ("ask a librarian") 37 36 26
Cell app to use/view library services 35 28 35
Program to try out new tech devices/apps 35 34 29
Cell GPS app that helps locate material inside library 34 28 36
Library kiosks in community to check out books, movies 33 30 35
Personalized accounts that give book recommendations 29 35 34
Classes on how to download library e-books 28 29 41
E-book readers loaded books you want to read 26 32 39
Digital media lab to create/upload new content like movies
or e-books 26 32 40
Instruction on how to use e-book reading devices 23 28 48
0 20 40 60 80 10

9. 6) African-Americans and Latinos are esp. enthusiastic
Whites Blacks Hispanics
80%
57% 57% 58%
56% 51%
60% 50% 49% 46%
43% 43%
40% 29% 28% 28% 29%
19%
20%
0%
Cell app that allows you to An online research service Program that allowed Classes on how to Kiosks/“redboxes”
use library services where you could ask people to try out new tech download library e-books throughout community to
questions of librarians devices/apps check out books/movies
80%
60% 55%
45% 44% 43% 42% 43% 38% 37% 38% 41%
40%
28% 23%
19% 20% 18%
20%
0%
Media lab to E-book readers loaded Cell GPS app that helps Instruction on how to Customized online
create/upload new books you want to you locate material use e-book reading recommendations
digital content like read inside library devices based on your past
movies, your e-books library activity

10. 7) The public invites you to be more
engaged in knotty problems
Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do
Coordinate more with local schools 85 11 2
Free literacy programs 82 14 3
Separate spaces for different services 61 27 9
Have more comfortable spaces 59 28 9
Offer more e-books 53 30 5
Offer more interactive learning experiences 47 38 12
Help users digitize material 43 39 14
Move most library services online 42 34 19
Make most services automated 41 36 20
Move some books/stacks out of public locations 20 39 36
0 20 40 60 80 100

11. 8) Libraries have a PR problem /
opportunity
• 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

12. 9) There is churn in library use
Reasons library use INCREASED (26%) Reasons library use DECREASED (22%)
Enjoy taking their children, grandchildren 26%
Can get books, do research online and
Do research and use reference materials 14% 40%
the internet is more convenient
Borrow books more 12%
Student 10% Library is not as useful because my
children have grown, I'm retired, I'm no 16%
Use library computers and internet 8% longer a student
Have more time to read now, retired 6%
Too busy, no time 12%
To save money 6%
Can't get to library, moved, don't know
9%
Good selection and variety 5% where library is
E-books, audio books, media are available 5% Prefer e-books 6%
Convenient 5% Prefer to buy books or get books from
5%
friends
Reading more now 5%
Not interested 4%
Library events and activities 4%
Health issues 3%
Good library and helpful staff 3%
Don't read much these days 3%
Quiet, relaxing time, social locale 2% Don't like local library or staff 3%
Use for my job 2% Children are too young 2%

13. 10) There is a truly detached population out
there that matters to you
• 20% never saw a
family member use a
library when they
were growing up
• 16% have never
visited a library
• 23% didn’t read a
book last 12 months

14. How you can help us
• Sign up to participate in our research
(and encourage your friends!):
http://libraries.pewinternet.org/participate/
• Write us: What Pew Internet should
study next

15. 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