Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, will discuss the Project’s latest research about how people use technology and how people use libraries. He will discuss the implications of this work for libraries. As librarians, we communicate with our users, staff, C-Level, patrons, and each other every day with a myriad of technological devices, languages, infographics, styles and tones. Why does it feel like we are all talking at cross-purposes? Whether communicating your value to a VIP or just trying to stay in touch with your multi-generational staff, speaking across cultures, generations and technology platforms while still adhering to the strategic goals of your library and parent organization, can be formidable. This workshop will present a variety of different communication challenges (either generational, intercultural or via technology) and will look at methods to strategically navigate them to get your message across. It will also help you hear and understand the communications and motivations of others more effectively.

1. The changing world of librarians
Lee Rainie - @lrainie
Director
Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
Presented to: DC/SLA Spring Workshop
April 24, 2013

2. 2
“Tweckle (twek’ul) vt. To
abuse a speaker to Twitter
followers in the audience
while he/she is speaking.”

3. 3

4. 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.

5. 3 tech
revolutions

6. Digital Revolution 1: Broadband
Internet (85%)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
June
2000
April
2001
March
2002
March
2003
April
2004
March
2005
March
2006
March
2007
April
2008
April
2009
May
2010
Aug
2011
Dec
2012
Broadband
at home
Dial-up
at home
68%
3%

7. Networked creators and curators (among internet users)
• 69% are social networking site users
• 59% share photos and videos
• 46% creators; 41% curators
• 37% contribute rankings and ratings
• 33% create content tags
• 30% share personal creations
• 26% post comments on sites and blogs
• 16% use Twitter
• 15% use Pinterest
• 14% are bloggers
• 13% use Instagram
• 6% use Tumblr
• 18% (of smartphone owners) share their locations; 74%
get location info and do location sharing

8. Impact on librarians
• Collections moved from atoms to bits
• More volume, velocity, and variety of
information
• More self-starter searches; more complicated
search and synthesis demanded of librarians
• Rise of “fifth estate” of civic and community
actors
• More arguments in the culture – library
“referees”?
• Collapsed contexts of messaging

9. Revolution 2: Mobile – 89% of adults
51% smartphones / 31% tablets
321.7
Total U.S.
population:
315.5 million
2012

10. Apps > 50% of adults
22%
29%
38%
43%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Sept 2009 May 2010 August 2011 April 2012
% of cell owners who have
downloaded apps

11. • Attention zones change
– “Continuous partial attention”
– Deep dives
– Info snacking
• Real-time, just-in-time searches and availability
change process of acquiring and using
information
– Spontaneous activities
– Be “ready for your closeup”
• Augmented reality highlights the merger of data
world and real world
Impact on librarians

12. 9%
49%
67%
76%
86% 87% 92%
7%
8%
25%
48%
61%
68% 73%
6%
4%
11%
25%
47%
49% 57%
1%
7%
13%
26%
29%
38%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
18-29 30-49 50-64 65+
Digital Revolution 3
Social networking – 59% of all adults
% of internet users

13. • Composition and character of people’s social
networks changes AND networks become
important channels of …
– learning
– trust
– influence
• Organizations can become media companies
themselves …
• … and “helper nodes” in people’s networks
Impact on organizations and
their librarians

14. 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 grant from the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation
libraries.pewinternet.org

15. First phase: The rise of e-reading
Late 2011: 16% of American
adults read an e-book in past year
Late 2012: 23%
---
Late 2011: 72% read a printed
book
Late 2012: 67%
---
30% of e-content readers say they
are reading more now

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

17. Mega Takeaway 1: People love their libraries even
more for what they say about their communities
than for how libraries meet personal needs
• 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
/

18. 18
1a) Libraries stack up well vs. others
How confident? How important?
63 28
Library to community

19. 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

20. Mega Takeaway 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

21. Mega Takeaway 4: 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

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

23. Mega Takeaway 6: 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

24. How you can help us
• Help us think through a study on “information
omnivores”
– Talks with Janice Lachance and Brent Mai
• Help think through a study on “information rich
and information poor”
• Sign up to participate in our research (and
encourage your friends!):
http://libraries.pewinternet.org/participate/

25. 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