The document discusses research conducted by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) on public libraries in Ontario. It provides background on FOPL's mission to advocate for public libraries and recent market research reports. The research examines Ontario residents' opinions and usage of public libraries based on surveys conducted in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. The surveys show that while in-person library visits have remained steady, online access to library resources has increased. They also find that lack of interest and availability of information from other sources are the top reasons people do not use libraries. Overall, the research aims to understand trends in public opinion of libraries and identify areas of strength and weakness to help guide FOPL's advocacy and strategic planning
The document discusses research conducted by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) on public libraries. It provides background on FOPL's mission to advocate for Ontario public libraries. Several key points are made about the role and value of public libraries, including that they play a critical role in communities' social, educational, cultural and economic success. The document also outlines FOPL's strategies for using statistics and research to influence stakeholders and position public libraries positively. These strategies include participating in task forces on library statistics, hosting symposiums, publishing analyses of usage data, and conducting regular public opinion polls.
The document summarizes the results of a 2015 survey of Ontario residents about their use, opinions, and perceptions of public libraries. Key findings include that 31% of residents had not used a public library in the past year, with the most common reasons being that they get information from other sources or lack of interest. While in-person library visits have remained steady, online access via libraries' websites has increased. Residents see the public library as conveniently located and a welcoming place, but engagement in activities at libraries has declined slightly compared to 2010.
The document summarizes the results of a 2015 survey of Ontario residents about their use, opinions, and perceptions of public libraries. Key findings include that 31% of residents had not used a public library in the past year, with the most common reasons being that they get information from other sources or lack of interest. While in-person library visits have remained steady, online access via libraries' websites has increased. Residents see the public library as conveniently located and a welcoming place, but engagement in activities at libraries has declined slightly compared to 2010.
Ebook symposium fopl i school 2016 finalStephen Abram
This document summarizes the results and next steps of the Canadian Public Libraries for Fair Ebook Pricing advocacy campaign. The campaign raised awareness of high ebook prices charged to libraries and engaged in social media outreach. Key results included over 22,500 website sessions, active social media discussion, and 30+ news stories published. Penguin Random House announced reduced ebook prices in response. Government bodies were also engaged, and the campaign aims to continue outreach and discussions with publishers going forward.
This document summarizes the findings of a survey on ebook and library usage in Ontario:
- Hard copy books remain the most popular format, but those who prefer ebooks are more likely to be bookstore users and not visit libraries in person.
- While ebooks are growing in popularity, especially in urban areas, hard copy books are still read more overall.
- Younger people are more open to new library services like mobile apps and personalized recommendations.
- French speakers and those aged 25-34 are less likely to visit bookstores in person but more likely to use online vendors.
A $15M investment was made in 2008 to fund four collaborative initiatives focused on the future of libraries. An initial survey identified branding, competencies, analysis processes, and collaborative tools as key strategies. Projects included developing a competencies index, communities of practice, qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, and a branding initiative to build a stronger library brand identity. The initiatives aimed to help chart a path for libraries through 2025 by identifying current strengths and areas for growth.
FOPL (Federation of Ontario Public Libraries) conducted research over 24 months to better understand how to advocate for and position Ontario public libraries. This included surveys of library staff, community leaders, and the general public. Key findings were:
- A poll of Ontario residents found strong support for new library services like technology programs and mobile access. Over half supported technology trials and 1/3 supported library kiosks located throughout communities.
- Interviews with community leaders revealed gaps in understanding of the value and impact of public libraries on economic development, education, and community support.
- FOPL analyzed over a decade of library statistics, identified new metrics, and hosted webinars to help libraries understand and
Infographic: Awareness of OER and OEP in Colleges in ScotlandOEPScotland
The Open Educational Practices in Scotland (OEPS) Project conducted a survey to find out about the level of awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) among college staff in Scotland. In total 236 valid responses were collected in a seven-week period from February 1st, 2016 to March 20th, 2016. This infographic highlights some of the findings. If you are interested in reading the full interim report, please visit http://www.slideshare.net/OEPScotland/awareness-of-open-educational-resources-oer-and-open-educational-practice-oep-in-scottish-colleges-survey-results
The document discusses research conducted by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) on public libraries. It provides background on FOPL's mission to advocate for Ontario public libraries. Several key points are made about the role and value of public libraries, including that they play a critical role in communities' social, educational, cultural and economic success. The document also outlines FOPL's strategies for using statistics and research to influence stakeholders and position public libraries positively. These strategies include participating in task forces on library statistics, hosting symposiums, publishing analyses of usage data, and conducting regular public opinion polls.
The document summarizes the results of a 2015 survey of Ontario residents about their use, opinions, and perceptions of public libraries. Key findings include that 31% of residents had not used a public library in the past year, with the most common reasons being that they get information from other sources or lack of interest. While in-person library visits have remained steady, online access via libraries' websites has increased. Residents see the public library as conveniently located and a welcoming place, but engagement in activities at libraries has declined slightly compared to 2010.
The document summarizes the results of a 2015 survey of Ontario residents about their use, opinions, and perceptions of public libraries. Key findings include that 31% of residents had not used a public library in the past year, with the most common reasons being that they get information from other sources or lack of interest. While in-person library visits have remained steady, online access via libraries' websites has increased. Residents see the public library as conveniently located and a welcoming place, but engagement in activities at libraries has declined slightly compared to 2010.
Ebook symposium fopl i school 2016 finalStephen Abram
This document summarizes the results and next steps of the Canadian Public Libraries for Fair Ebook Pricing advocacy campaign. The campaign raised awareness of high ebook prices charged to libraries and engaged in social media outreach. Key results included over 22,500 website sessions, active social media discussion, and 30+ news stories published. Penguin Random House announced reduced ebook prices in response. Government bodies were also engaged, and the campaign aims to continue outreach and discussions with publishers going forward.
This document summarizes the findings of a survey on ebook and library usage in Ontario:
- Hard copy books remain the most popular format, but those who prefer ebooks are more likely to be bookstore users and not visit libraries in person.
- While ebooks are growing in popularity, especially in urban areas, hard copy books are still read more overall.
- Younger people are more open to new library services like mobile apps and personalized recommendations.
- French speakers and those aged 25-34 are less likely to visit bookstores in person but more likely to use online vendors.
A $15M investment was made in 2008 to fund four collaborative initiatives focused on the future of libraries. An initial survey identified branding, competencies, analysis processes, and collaborative tools as key strategies. Projects included developing a competencies index, communities of practice, qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, and a branding initiative to build a stronger library brand identity. The initiatives aimed to help chart a path for libraries through 2025 by identifying current strengths and areas for growth.
FOPL (Federation of Ontario Public Libraries) conducted research over 24 months to better understand how to advocate for and position Ontario public libraries. This included surveys of library staff, community leaders, and the general public. Key findings were:
- A poll of Ontario residents found strong support for new library services like technology programs and mobile access. Over half supported technology trials and 1/3 supported library kiosks located throughout communities.
- Interviews with community leaders revealed gaps in understanding of the value and impact of public libraries on economic development, education, and community support.
- FOPL analyzed over a decade of library statistics, identified new metrics, and hosted webinars to help libraries understand and
Infographic: Awareness of OER and OEP in Colleges in ScotlandOEPScotland
The Open Educational Practices in Scotland (OEPS) Project conducted a survey to find out about the level of awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) among college staff in Scotland. In total 236 valid responses were collected in a seven-week period from February 1st, 2016 to March 20th, 2016. This infographic highlights some of the findings. If you are interested in reading the full interim report, please visit http://www.slideshare.net/OEPScotland/awareness-of-open-educational-resources-oer-and-open-educational-practice-oep-in-scottish-colleges-survey-results
Infographic: Awareness of OER and OEP in HE institutions ScotlandOEPScotland
The Open Educational Practices in Scotland (OEPS) Project conducted a survey to find out about the level of awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) among HE institutions in Scotland. In total 235 valid responses were collected in a five-week period from 19th October 2015 to 23rd November 2015. This infographic highlights some of the findings. If you are interested in reading the full interim report, please visit http://www.slideshare.net/OEPScotland/awareness-of-oer-and-oep-in-scottish-higher-education-institutions-survey-results
Lee Rainie, the Project Director, describes the findings from the nationally representative survey that asked Americans what types of services they value in their libraries and what additional services they would like their libraries to offer.
Awareness of OER and OEP in Scottish Higher Education Institutions Survey Res...OEPScotland
This document summarizes the results of a survey conducted in Scotland that assessed awareness and use of open educational resources (OER) among educators in Scottish higher education institutions. Some key findings were that awareness of OER is generally low, with 40% unaware and 40% having only heard of OER. Those who are aware are more likely to select teaching resources that are adaptable, editable, and improve student performance. The most commonly used sources of educational materials are YouTube, TED Talks, and Creative Commons. The survey aims to better understand barriers and opportunities regarding OER adoption in Scotland.
Rainie for to limited future of librariesStephen Abram
The document discusses the future of libraries and library usage. It finds that while 48% of Americans have visited a library in the past year, many are unaware of library services. Younger Americans and those with less education are less familiar with libraries. The document suggests libraries may need to reallocate space to attract new patrons and keep up with technology, though current users prefer existing programs. It concludes there is a disconnect between current library patrons who support existing services and non-users who see need for changes to remain relevant.
Ontarians visit their public libraries more than any other cultural, recreational, or commercial activity. Public libraries in Ontario average 198,630 visits per day - more daily visits than all major sports teams combined and more than foreign tourists visiting all of Canada. With over 1,157 branches serving 99.34% of Ontario's population, public libraries are truly the most widely used and accessible community hubs across the province.
Lee Rainie, director of Internet, Science, and Technology research at Pew Research Center, will present new survey findings about how people use libraries, the kinds of services and programs people would like from libraries, and how libraries are connected to communication education and learning environments at the 2016 American Library Association Midwinter conference in Boston
Awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practice (...OEPScotland
The document reports on the results of a survey assessing awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) among educators in Scotland's colleges. Key findings include very low awareness of OER, with over half of respondents unaware of OER. Quality and accuracy were the most important factors for educators in choosing teaching materials. Lack of awareness and not knowing how to use OER were seen as the top barriers. The report recommends efforts to raise awareness of OER/OEP among college educators and provide development opportunities on using OER.
The UK Survey of Academics 2012, conducted by Ithaka S+R, Jisc, and Research Libraries UK (RLUK), examines the attitudes and behaviours of academics at higher education institutions across the United Kingdom. Our objective is to provide the entire sector, including universities, learned societies, scholarly publishers, and especially academic libraries, with timely findings and analysis that help them plan for the future. (May 2013)
An online survey of over 1,800 public, school, and academic libraries about their ebook collections and usage was conducted in August-September 2010. Key findings included:
- The majority of libraries offered general fiction and nonfiction titles, with academic libraries more likely to offer scholarly materials.
- Most libraries expected ebook circulation to increase in the coming year, especially among public libraries.
- Top barriers to ebook usage were lack of awareness about available titles, limited device access and support, and restricted formats.
- Ebook usage was highest on personal devices rather than library computers, though some libraries loaned preloaded readers.
- Spending on ebooks was low currently but expected to increase substantially in
The document discusses the future of public libraries. It notes that libraries need to move away from being focused on driving activity internally and move towards intentional partnerships with other organizations in the community to make a difference. Key trends include more connectivity through mobile technology and an empowered customer who wants to both learn and create. The document argues that libraries must orient themselves outward by listening to the community, collaborating with partners, and allowing community input so libraries can transition from solely providing information to enabling creation, learning and innovation.
Webinar Slides - Reading During the Pandemic - Freckle Project 2021 EveryLibrary
Slides to accompany "Where Did You Get that Book During the Pandemic", a conversation between the EveryLibrary Institute and the Freckle Project on their 2021 survey of American reading habits. Please visit https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/freckle2021 for the on-demand archive of the webinar.
I just had the opportunity of presenting at the inaugural 'World Congress on Access to Post-Secondary Education' in Montreal. It was my first attempt at a synthesis of four projects that the Pearson Think Tank is involved in; on rising tuition fees, school-based careers guidance, university admissions and open education data. In different ways all of these projects explore the 'wicked problem' (complex, evolving and interdependent) of fair access to higher education.
The work highlights three of the common barriers that restrict fair access to higher education;
1) Information asymmetry
2) Unequal distribution of resources
3) Variable and sometimes unequal access
As well as three potential solutions that have been developed over the course of the projects:
1) Deliver truly personalised information and support
2) Develop sustainable local learning ecosystems
3) Make appropriate use of open data
This is an emerging strand of thinking so please do share your feedback.
Overview of FOPL's Statistics Strategies for Influence and Power for the Vancouver Symposium: Outcomes, Value & Impact: Metrics for Library Success Vancouver Sept. 29, 2015
An Overview of the Textbook Market and Strategies to Reduce Costs (11/1/12, N...Nicole Allen
This document discusses the high cost of textbooks and strategies to reduce costs. It notes that textbook prices have risen four times the rate of inflation over the last three decades. This has resulted in many students being unable to afford their textbooks. The document proposes that open educational resources (OER) like open textbooks can help solve this problem by providing educational materials that are free to use and distribute. OER allow content to be reused, revised, remixed and redistributed. The document outlines various OER publishing models and actions students and faculty can take to support OER adoption.
This document summarizes findings from faculty surveys about use of scholarly monographs. It finds that monographs remain very important to researchers, especially in humanities. While e-book usage is growing, print still dominates for in-depth reading. Searching and skimming are easier digitally. Over time more believe e-books could replace print, though humanities remain less convinced. The document also notes historians' heavy reliance on Google Books for discovery and access.
Open Textbook Network Workshop at Temple UniversityRajiv Jhangiani
This document summarizes the key issues around the rising cost of textbooks and open textbooks as an alternative. It notes that textbook prices have increased 812% since 1978 while students' financial aid and earnings have not kept pace, forcing many to not purchase required textbooks. Open textbooks can help address this by providing free, high-quality textbooks under open licenses. Several studies have found open textbooks lead to equal or better learning outcomes compared to traditional textbooks, while saving students thousands of dollars. The document advocates for increasing awareness and adoption of open textbooks to improve access and affordability of higher education.
The document discusses the history of efforts to develop the ebooks marketplace in UK higher education from 2001-2009. It outlines key studies, strategies, and deals with ebook aggregators during this time period. Challenges included a lack of standardization, complex business models, and ensuring availability of core textbooks. The JISC national ebooks observatory project from 2007-2009 aimed to address these issues through research, pilot programs, and facilitating relationships between publishers and libraries.
Connecting the Dots: Open Education, Open Access and Open in Order To…Nicole Allen
This document discusses open education and open access. It notes that open education resources (OER) are educational materials that can be freely downloaded, edited, and shared. OER are licensed to allow reuse, revision, remixing, and redistribution. Adopting, adapting, and creating OER can help lower costs for students while maintaining or improving educational outcomes. Open education is a means to make knowledge more accessible and affordable for all.
- Ontario public libraries have increased their usage and visits to all-time high levels, with nearly 31 million volumes in circulation and over 72 million in-person visits in 2014.
- The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) has conducted research like a 2015 public opinion poll and library data collection to understand the value and impact of libraries and advocate for them.
- FOPL is working to increase the influence of libraries with the provincial government by submitting policy documents, organizing events like Library Day at Queen's Park, and meeting with ministers and civil servants.
The document proposes a collaborative ontology building project (COB) that uses a multi-agent approach to facilitate distributed ontology editing and discovery. Key challenges addressed include making ontology editing easy for non-experts, enabling iterative ontology evolution through expert and agent cooperation, and facilitating ontology mining from distributed and dynamic data sources on the web. The proposed system design involves an ontology repository, various human and software agents that contribute to and validate ontologies, and techniques for tasks like ontology alignment and redundancy/conflict checking.
The document discusses logic agents and logical reasoning. It provides background on logic, including syntax, semantics, models, and inference rules. It then discusses how logic can be used to represent knowledge in knowledge-based agents and systems. The agents use a knowledge base and inference engine, where the inference engine derives new knowledge by applying inference rules to the knowledge base.
Infographic: Awareness of OER and OEP in HE institutions ScotlandOEPScotland
The Open Educational Practices in Scotland (OEPS) Project conducted a survey to find out about the level of awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) among HE institutions in Scotland. In total 235 valid responses were collected in a five-week period from 19th October 2015 to 23rd November 2015. This infographic highlights some of the findings. If you are interested in reading the full interim report, please visit http://www.slideshare.net/OEPScotland/awareness-of-oer-and-oep-in-scottish-higher-education-institutions-survey-results
Lee Rainie, the Project Director, describes the findings from the nationally representative survey that asked Americans what types of services they value in their libraries and what additional services they would like their libraries to offer.
Awareness of OER and OEP in Scottish Higher Education Institutions Survey Res...OEPScotland
This document summarizes the results of a survey conducted in Scotland that assessed awareness and use of open educational resources (OER) among educators in Scottish higher education institutions. Some key findings were that awareness of OER is generally low, with 40% unaware and 40% having only heard of OER. Those who are aware are more likely to select teaching resources that are adaptable, editable, and improve student performance. The most commonly used sources of educational materials are YouTube, TED Talks, and Creative Commons. The survey aims to better understand barriers and opportunities regarding OER adoption in Scotland.
Rainie for to limited future of librariesStephen Abram
The document discusses the future of libraries and library usage. It finds that while 48% of Americans have visited a library in the past year, many are unaware of library services. Younger Americans and those with less education are less familiar with libraries. The document suggests libraries may need to reallocate space to attract new patrons and keep up with technology, though current users prefer existing programs. It concludes there is a disconnect between current library patrons who support existing services and non-users who see need for changes to remain relevant.
Ontarians visit their public libraries more than any other cultural, recreational, or commercial activity. Public libraries in Ontario average 198,630 visits per day - more daily visits than all major sports teams combined and more than foreign tourists visiting all of Canada. With over 1,157 branches serving 99.34% of Ontario's population, public libraries are truly the most widely used and accessible community hubs across the province.
Lee Rainie, director of Internet, Science, and Technology research at Pew Research Center, will present new survey findings about how people use libraries, the kinds of services and programs people would like from libraries, and how libraries are connected to communication education and learning environments at the 2016 American Library Association Midwinter conference in Boston
Awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practice (...OEPScotland
The document reports on the results of a survey assessing awareness of open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) among educators in Scotland's colleges. Key findings include very low awareness of OER, with over half of respondents unaware of OER. Quality and accuracy were the most important factors for educators in choosing teaching materials. Lack of awareness and not knowing how to use OER were seen as the top barriers. The report recommends efforts to raise awareness of OER/OEP among college educators and provide development opportunities on using OER.
The UK Survey of Academics 2012, conducted by Ithaka S+R, Jisc, and Research Libraries UK (RLUK), examines the attitudes and behaviours of academics at higher education institutions across the United Kingdom. Our objective is to provide the entire sector, including universities, learned societies, scholarly publishers, and especially academic libraries, with timely findings and analysis that help them plan for the future. (May 2013)
An online survey of over 1,800 public, school, and academic libraries about their ebook collections and usage was conducted in August-September 2010. Key findings included:
- The majority of libraries offered general fiction and nonfiction titles, with academic libraries more likely to offer scholarly materials.
- Most libraries expected ebook circulation to increase in the coming year, especially among public libraries.
- Top barriers to ebook usage were lack of awareness about available titles, limited device access and support, and restricted formats.
- Ebook usage was highest on personal devices rather than library computers, though some libraries loaned preloaded readers.
- Spending on ebooks was low currently but expected to increase substantially in
The document discusses the future of public libraries. It notes that libraries need to move away from being focused on driving activity internally and move towards intentional partnerships with other organizations in the community to make a difference. Key trends include more connectivity through mobile technology and an empowered customer who wants to both learn and create. The document argues that libraries must orient themselves outward by listening to the community, collaborating with partners, and allowing community input so libraries can transition from solely providing information to enabling creation, learning and innovation.
Webinar Slides - Reading During the Pandemic - Freckle Project 2021 EveryLibrary
Slides to accompany "Where Did You Get that Book During the Pandemic", a conversation between the EveryLibrary Institute and the Freckle Project on their 2021 survey of American reading habits. Please visit https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/freckle2021 for the on-demand archive of the webinar.
I just had the opportunity of presenting at the inaugural 'World Congress on Access to Post-Secondary Education' in Montreal. It was my first attempt at a synthesis of four projects that the Pearson Think Tank is involved in; on rising tuition fees, school-based careers guidance, university admissions and open education data. In different ways all of these projects explore the 'wicked problem' (complex, evolving and interdependent) of fair access to higher education.
The work highlights three of the common barriers that restrict fair access to higher education;
1) Information asymmetry
2) Unequal distribution of resources
3) Variable and sometimes unequal access
As well as three potential solutions that have been developed over the course of the projects:
1) Deliver truly personalised information and support
2) Develop sustainable local learning ecosystems
3) Make appropriate use of open data
This is an emerging strand of thinking so please do share your feedback.
Overview of FOPL's Statistics Strategies for Influence and Power for the Vancouver Symposium: Outcomes, Value & Impact: Metrics for Library Success Vancouver Sept. 29, 2015
An Overview of the Textbook Market and Strategies to Reduce Costs (11/1/12, N...Nicole Allen
This document discusses the high cost of textbooks and strategies to reduce costs. It notes that textbook prices have risen four times the rate of inflation over the last three decades. This has resulted in many students being unable to afford their textbooks. The document proposes that open educational resources (OER) like open textbooks can help solve this problem by providing educational materials that are free to use and distribute. OER allow content to be reused, revised, remixed and redistributed. The document outlines various OER publishing models and actions students and faculty can take to support OER adoption.
This document summarizes findings from faculty surveys about use of scholarly monographs. It finds that monographs remain very important to researchers, especially in humanities. While e-book usage is growing, print still dominates for in-depth reading. Searching and skimming are easier digitally. Over time more believe e-books could replace print, though humanities remain less convinced. The document also notes historians' heavy reliance on Google Books for discovery and access.
Open Textbook Network Workshop at Temple UniversityRajiv Jhangiani
This document summarizes the key issues around the rising cost of textbooks and open textbooks as an alternative. It notes that textbook prices have increased 812% since 1978 while students' financial aid and earnings have not kept pace, forcing many to not purchase required textbooks. Open textbooks can help address this by providing free, high-quality textbooks under open licenses. Several studies have found open textbooks lead to equal or better learning outcomes compared to traditional textbooks, while saving students thousands of dollars. The document advocates for increasing awareness and adoption of open textbooks to improve access and affordability of higher education.
The document discusses the history of efforts to develop the ebooks marketplace in UK higher education from 2001-2009. It outlines key studies, strategies, and deals with ebook aggregators during this time period. Challenges included a lack of standardization, complex business models, and ensuring availability of core textbooks. The JISC national ebooks observatory project from 2007-2009 aimed to address these issues through research, pilot programs, and facilitating relationships between publishers and libraries.
Connecting the Dots: Open Education, Open Access and Open in Order To…Nicole Allen
This document discusses open education and open access. It notes that open education resources (OER) are educational materials that can be freely downloaded, edited, and shared. OER are licensed to allow reuse, revision, remixing, and redistribution. Adopting, adapting, and creating OER can help lower costs for students while maintaining or improving educational outcomes. Open education is a means to make knowledge more accessible and affordable for all.
- Ontario public libraries have increased their usage and visits to all-time high levels, with nearly 31 million volumes in circulation and over 72 million in-person visits in 2014.
- The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) has conducted research like a 2015 public opinion poll and library data collection to understand the value and impact of libraries and advocate for them.
- FOPL is working to increase the influence of libraries with the provincial government by submitting policy documents, organizing events like Library Day at Queen's Park, and meeting with ministers and civil servants.
The document proposes a collaborative ontology building project (COB) that uses a multi-agent approach to facilitate distributed ontology editing and discovery. Key challenges addressed include making ontology editing easy for non-experts, enabling iterative ontology evolution through expert and agent cooperation, and facilitating ontology mining from distributed and dynamic data sources on the web. The proposed system design involves an ontology repository, various human and software agents that contribute to and validate ontologies, and techniques for tasks like ontology alignment and redundancy/conflict checking.
The document discusses logic agents and logical reasoning. It provides background on logic, including syntax, semantics, models, and inference rules. It then discusses how logic can be used to represent knowledge in knowledge-based agents and systems. The agents use a knowledge base and inference engine, where the inference engine derives new knowledge by applying inference rules to the knowledge base.
The document discusses developing a statistical index to compare Ontario public libraries. It outlines the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries' efforts over the past two years to improve library statistics collection and analysis. This includes publishing longitudinal analyses of ministry data and market polls. FOPL aims to create a new index that benchmarks libraries on modern metrics beyond just circulation and visits. The author invites volunteers to discuss the proposed index and help guide further research and statistical development efforts to better understand library impacts.
This document summarizes a training webinar series on advocacy and influencing skills for librarians presented by Stephen Abram. The series includes webinars on factors influencing funding for public libraries, advocacy strategies for different types of libraries, best practices for advocates, and community communication strategies. Contact information is provided for the series instructors and links to additional advocacy resources from the University of Toronto iSchool and Stephen's Lighthouse blog. The goal of the series is to build the capacity of librarians and library staff in advocacy and promoting the value of public libraries.
The document discusses various types of reasoning used in artificial intelligence, including deductive, inductive, analogical, and metalevel reasoning. It also describes forward chaining and backward chaining as two common strategies used in inference engines to apply rules to facts and make inferences. Forward chaining applies rules from the bottom up, while backward chaining works from the top down to verify hypotheses.
Backward chaining is a goal-driven, top-down approach to problem solving and teaching skills. It works backwards from the desired conclusion or goal, breaking it down into smaller subgoals or steps that are easier to achieve. This allows the learner to focus on individual steps and build up to performing the full task or solving the problem. Backward chaining has benefits over traditional forward teaching methods as it makes learning easier and improves the training response for athletes.
The document provides a narrative toolkit to help Ontario public libraries develop compelling marketing stories. It outlines key components of an effective narrative structure, including a social point of view, why statement, description of how the library fulfills its purpose, a promise, and definitions of a hero and antagonist. The toolkit explains how to incorporate these elements into stories that will engage target audiences and strengthen the relevance of public libraries. Sample narratives, sound bites, and public service announcements are included to demonstrate how to apply the suggested framework.
This document is the preface to a book on Artificial Intelligence published by Rozy Publishing House. It provides an overview of the book's contents and development process. The book contains 10 chapters that cover topics such as problem representation, structured knowledge, rule-based systems, logic, expert systems, learning techniques, search strategies, and PROLOG programming. It was created over two years by authors and academic experts to provide relevant study material for undergraduate and postgraduate AI courses. Feedback from readers is welcomed so the book can be improved in future publications.
This document discusses different knowledge representation techniques used in artificial intelligence systems, including ad-hoc methods, heuristic reasoning methods, frames, associative networks, and conceptual graphs. It provides examples of each technique and how they can represent knowledge with examples from early expert systems like MYCIN. It also describes how conceptual graphs can be converted to and from first-order predicate logic.
Logic programming in Python allows for productive, readable programs using logic rules rather than loops or conditionals. The pyDatalog library adds logic programming capabilities to Python. Programs are defined with facts and clauses like Prolog, and can query SQL databases. PyDatalog memoizes results to avoid recomputation and supports features like aggregate functions. It allows applications like spreadsheet programming, expert systems, and cross-database queries. The presenter outlines roadmaps for adding an equation solver, transactions, and improving performance.
The document discusses IBM's Watson artificial intelligence system from an academic perspective. It summarizes that Watson is interesting from a research perspective because of its underlying "cognitive pipeline" approach to parallelizing reasoning using a large memory, as a different approach to memory-based reasoning, and as a validation of the paradigm of AI as a collection of small processes linked through learned contexts rather than as a monolithic system. The document argues that Watson demonstrates that intelligence relies on an ability to appropriately retrieve relevant information from memory, and opens up new areas for cognitive computing research.
This document discusses various inference methods in propositional logic, including:
- The enumeration method, which checks all possible models to determine logical implication.
- Inference rules like modus ponens and resolution.
- The resolution method, which converts formulas to conjunctive normal form and applies the resolution rule to derive contradictions.
- Forward and backward chaining for Horn clauses, which can check implication efficiently in linear time. Examples of applying forward chaining to a rule set are provided.
This document summarizes a chapter about logical agents from an artificial intelligence textbook. It discusses how logical agents can represent knowledge and reason using that knowledge. Key points include: logical agents use a knowledge base to store facts and make inferences; propositional logic and inference rules like modus ponens allow agents to derive new knowledge; the Wumpus World example demonstrates logical reasoning to solve problems based on partial observations.
Why Watson Won: A cognitive perspectiveJames Hendler
In this talk, we present how the Watson program, IBM's famous Jeopardy playing computer, works (based on papers published by IBM), we look at some aspects of potential scoring approaches, and we examine how Watson compares to several well known systems and some preliminary thoughts on using it in future artificial intelligence and cognitive science approaches.
The document discusses logic programming and propositional logic. It covers topics like:
- Logic is the study of valid reasoning and determining what conclusions follow from a set of premises.
- Propositional logic represents logical statements using variables and logical connectives. It deals with propositions that can be either true or false.
- Predicate logic extends propositional logic by allowing reasoning about objects and relationships using variables, predicates, functions and quantifiers.
- Logic programming languages like Prolog are based on predicate logic and allow defining facts and rules to represent relationships between objects. Prolog can be used to infer new facts by applying resolution and unification on queries against the defined facts and rules.
This document provides an overview of artificial intelligence and its applications in cyber defense. It discusses topics like what AI is, the Turing test, fields of AI like expert systems, neural networks and intelligent agents. It provides examples of expert systems and their architecture. It also discusses applications of AI like credit granting, information retrieval and virus detection. Neural networks are described as artificial representations of the human brain that try to simulate its learning process. Different types of neural networks like biological and artificial are also mentioned.
The document discusses artificial intelligence and expert systems. It provides an overview of AI, its major branches including expert systems, and how expert systems work. Expert systems use a knowledge base and inference engine to mimic the decision-making of human experts in specific domains. They have benefits like preserving human expertise but also limitations like narrow applicability. The document outlines the components and applications of expert systems.
Fabindia is a fabric and handicrafts retailer established in 1960 that aims to support artisans through sustainable jobs while running a profitable business. It has grown from a single store in 1976 to over 140 stores today. Key aspects that make it a great place to work include alignment with its mission of sustaining crafts, shared ownership where 70% of employees own stock, and an entrepreneurial culture. It focuses on continuous learning and growth from within through programs like the Internal Job Posting process. Fabindia prioritizes empowering women, who make up 76% of management, and transparency through treating employees like shareholders.
Propositional logic deals with propositions as units and the connectives that relate them. It has a syntax that defines allowable sentences using proposition symbols and logical connectives like conjunction, disjunction, implication and equivalence. Sentences are formed using Backus Naur Form grammar. Semantics specify how to compute the truth of sentences using truth tables and models. Knowledge bases can be represented as a set of sentences and inference is used to decide if conclusions are true in all models where the KB is true, such as using a truth table algorithm.
The document discusses different knowledge representation schemes used in artificial intelligence systems. It describes semantic networks, frames, propositional logic, first-order predicate logic, and rule-based systems. For each technique, it provides facts about how knowledge is represented and examples to illustrate their use. The goal of knowledge representation is to encode knowledge in a way that allows inferencing and learning of new knowledge from the facts stored in the knowledge base.
The document summarizes research conducted by MarketProbe Canada for the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries on public library usage in Ontario. Key findings from the 2015 survey include:
- Household library usage may be slipping slightly, though reported library card ownership is steady.
- The top reasons for not using libraries are getting information from other sources and lack of interest.
- In-person library visits have remained constant while online access via websites and mobile devices has increased.
- Bookstores still receive more visits than libraries, especially online.
- Activities engaged in during in-person library visits have declined slightly, except for using the library's wireless network.
This document summarizes a webinar presented by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) on their research into Ontario public library statistics, measurements, and opinion polls. It discusses FOPL's efforts to collect and analyze library data from Ontario, publish reports on topics like library expenditures and usage over time. A recent public opinion poll found that opinions of libraries remain positive but usage patterns are changing, with more users accessing libraries online as well as in person. The webinar focused on insights from this data to help libraries understand user needs and how to strategically position themselves.
Stephen Abram gave a presentation about trends in public libraries. He discussed tools like the BRIDGE Toolkit that help assess technology's impact in libraries. Ontario public libraries have seen increases in circulation, programs, attendance, and visits over the last decade, though budgets have grown only slightly. New services like makerspaces and 3D printing are popular among younger users. Most users still visit in person but increasingly also use libraries' online resources.
1. The document discusses the value and impact of public libraries in Ontario and the work done by FOPL to measure and demonstrate this.
2. FOPL has implemented statistical measurement strategies across Ontario to prove the value of libraries and now tracks numbers longitudinally.
3. Surveys show libraries are the most used cultural institution in Ontario, with 73% of residents using libraries compared to 32-55% for other activities.
The document provides information from a market probe conducted by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) in 2015. It includes:
- Statistics and measurements strategies undertaken by FOPL, including participating in task forces, hosting symposia, publishing analyses and polls.
- Reports published by FOPL, including an overview of Ontario public library operating data from 2001-2013, a market probe public opinion poll from May 2015, and a presentation on the 2015 poll.
- Findings from the public opinion poll showing that while in-person library visits have remained steady, online access has increased, and usage patterns have evolved with more people using both online and in-person services.
The FOPL Statistics Project aims to help Ontario's public libraries better define their value and impact. It has led to improved data collection and reporting on key library metrics and studies on topics like early literacy, economic impact, and public opinion. This work has helped libraries strengthen their advocacy and positioning by providing evidence of their contributions in areas like education, employment, and community support. The project also identified gaps in libraries' skills and relationships that it has worked to address through initiatives developing staff capacity, building new partnerships, and modernizing marketing.
The document summarizes research conducted by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) on marketing and public libraries in Ontario. It includes:
- Statistics and measurements strategies conducted by FOPL, including participating in task forces, hosting symposia, publishing analysis and reports.
- A summary of FOPL's recent Market Probe public opinion poll and Ontario library branding research. The poll examined public opinions on library usage patterns, value of services, and outlook for the future.
- Key findings from the poll show library opinions remain strong but usage patterns are evolving, with more people using both online and in-person services. Communications will be important to promote new digital offerings.
The document provides an overview of recent activities by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL). FOPL advocates for public libraries in Ontario and provides services focused on advocacy, marketing, research, and consortia purchasing. Recent activities include advocacy training webinars, research on branding and social media use by Ontario libraries, and planning for a summit on the future of libraries. FOPL is also working to develop standardized impact metrics and measurements to help libraries communicate their value in areas like early literacy, economic impact, and return on investment.
FOPL has undertaken research and advocacy initiatives over the past two years to strengthen Ontario public libraries. This included conducting surveys of library leaders and the general public, aggregating and analyzing library statistics, and hosting webinars on advocacy, branding and strategic use of data. FOPL now has data on library perceptions, performance measures, and tools to help libraries advocate for their value to communities. Upcoming work includes developing engagement metrics, marketing campaigns and participating in cultural policy discussions to further library advocacy.
This document provides information from a presentation given by Stephen Abram to the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries on provincial elections and the value of public libraries. Some key points:
- Ontario's 305 public library systems serve over 99% of the population and see over 80 million in-person visits annually, with digital services doubling that number.
- Public libraries offer many programs and services like literacy support, career help, genealogy resources, and more that attracted over 4.5 million residents in 2016.
- The public library value proposition includes a strong return on investment, economic and business support, access to technology, support for newcomers, and more.
- The 2018 provincial election is an opportunity to advocate for
The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) recently released new data and research reports on Ontario public libraries:
[1] A report analyzing key Ontario public library statistics from 2001-2013 such as circulation, program attendance, expenditures, and digital materials holdings.
[2] A public opinion poll of Ontarians conducted in 2015 examining library usage patterns, perceptions of value, and interest in new services. Most opinions of libraries remain positive but some traditional services are declining among younger groups.
[3] A study of library branding in Ontario finding most libraries have websites but fewer use social media actively. Adoption of new technologies varies significantly among library systems.
This document summarizes statistics and activities from the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL). FOPL is a not-for-profit membership association that provides advocacy and services to over 215 public library members across Ontario, serving 80% of the province's population. FOPL is working to develop new metrics and measurements to better quantify the value and impact of public libraries, such as their economic and social contributions. This includes conducting research, consulting experts, and developing standardized core statistics and visual tools to communicate library value.
Ola sc fopl session on stories and statsStephen Abram
This document provides an overview of strategies for using data and stories for advocacy presented by Stephen Abram. It discusses positioning public libraries as essential community institutions and identifying their value through talking points and return on investment metrics. Specific advocacy efforts are outlined, including lobbying efforts and developing marketing materials highlighting library impacts. The presentation emphasizes telling impactful stories, understanding different user groups, and establishing oneself as a trusted advocate through networking and knowledge of the issues. Effective advocacy requires passion, proofs, understanding your audience, and believing in the value of libraries.
This document provides an overview of advocacy strategies and techniques for libraries. It discusses the importance of advocacy and influencing skills for libraries. It outlines factors to consider when crafting messages and planning advocacy activities, such as identifying stakeholders, understanding audiences, and timing advocacy efforts. The document also covers techniques like using stories and proofs, managing one's personal brand, and applying principles from researchers like Cialdini to influence others.
Ontarians continue to hold largely positive views of public libraries and recognize their value to communities. While library usage patterns have changed with new technologies, the number of users has remained steady. Younger people may have different expectations of libraries than older generations. The library will need to regularly review and adapt its strategies and services to remain relevant. Effective communication will be critical to promote new offerings and build awareness among key audience segments. The future role and impact of libraries remains uncertain and must be shaped according to the evolving needs of users.
This document summarizes the advocacy work of the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL). It discusses FOPL's mission to provide a unified voice for Ontario public libraries. It outlines the progress FOPL has made in research, advocacy, marketing and influencing government policies. Key accomplishments include developing learning resources for staff, analyzing library usage data, marketing campaigns, and increasing engagement with government ministries. The document demonstrates how collaboration across library organizations has strengthened advocacy for Ontario public libraries.
Speakers: Claire McGuire, Aaron Redman, and Aaron Benavot
IFLA has partnered with the Monitoring and Evaluating Climate Communication and Education (MECCE) Project to create an indicator of climate activities organized by libraries. The MECCE Project is working to increase the quantity and quality of climate communication and education (CCE) globally. The Project’s indicators, which are available on their global interactive data platform, support benchmarking, target setting, and progress in CCE provision by governments, civil society, and researchers. The library-specific climate communication and education global indicator provides a metric for understanding the roles libraries play in addressing the climate crisis. Join this webinar to find out more about MECCE Project, how you can participate in building indicators and how you can use this platform in your own libraries.
Sean Williams, an associate consultant from Noel-Levitz, presented a comparison of Canadian and American teens and millennials based on research from various sources. Some key findings included:
- Both Canadians and Americans heavily use social networks like Facebook, engage with video on YouTube, and own smartphones.
- Teens in both countries enjoy online gaming and are willing to share information on social media. Millennials rely on social networks for news and trust information shared there.
- Canadians tweet less than Americans, especially teens, but use Facebook more heavily than Americans across all age groups.
- Mobile devices are increasingly important for all activities for both teens and millennials in both countries.
At the American Library Association's National Library Legislative Day, Pew Internet Director Lee Rainie will discuss 11 key takeaways from the Project's libraries research.
Passive Interactive Programming and Surveys 2.pptxStephen Abram
Passive interactive community experiences aim to foster connection and engagement among participants without requiring direct interaction. The document discusses creating a sense of shared experience and connection through ambient or peripheral means that do not demand participants' active involvement or direct interaction with others.
Hub Design Inspiration Graphics for inspirationStephen Abram
This document provides images and ideas to spark discussion about designing community spaces in a new hub. It includes sections with inspirations and examples for areas like kids' zones, outdoor seating, gardening, reading areas, collaboration spaces, and more. The goal is to organize visual ideas around functions and uses to help envision what the space could offer users over time. It also references an external article about 10 essential library spaces as additional guidance.
Hub Design Inspiration Graphics for Community HubsStephen Abram
This document provides images and ideas to spark discussion about designing a community space. It includes sections with inspirations for areas like kids zones, outdoor seating, gardening, reading areas, collaboration spaces, and more. The goal is to think creatively about how the space can be used by people of all ages through flexible, multi-purpose design.
Passive Interactive Programming and Surveys 2.pptxStephen Abram
Passive interactive community experiences aim to foster connection and engagement among participants without requiring direct interaction. These experiences allow people to feel involved within a community through observing and reacting to shared content, while not necessitating back-and-forth communication between individuals. The goal is to give people a sense of participation and belonging even if they choose to interact on a more passive level.
Hub Design Inspiration Graphics for Brockville HubStephen Abram
This document provides images and ideas to spark discussion about designing a community space. It includes sections with inspirations and examples for areas like kids zones, seating, gardening, reading areas, co-working spaces, maker spaces, cultural spaces, and more. The goal is to think about how the space can be used and evolve over time to meet community needs.
Hub Design Inspiration Graphics second draftStephen Abram
This document provides images and ideas to spark discussion about designing a community space. It includes sections with inspirations and examples for areas like kids zones, seating, gardening, reading areas, cafes, co-working spaces, maker spaces, cultural spaces, and more. The goal is to think about how the space can be used and evolve over time to meet community needs.
This document is a draft active transportation plan for the City of Brockville. It recommends initiatives to encourage walking and cycling through new infrastructure like bike routes. The plan was developed with public input, which identified a lack of connected cycling routes as a key barrier. It proposes a cycling network with 42 km of "spine routes" and 39 km of "connector routes" along with pedestrian improvements. The plan also provides policy, funding, maintenance and programming recommendations to promote active transportation long-term.
This document provides images and ideas to spark discussion about designing a community space. It includes sections with inspirations and examples for areas like kids zones, outdoor spaces, seating, gardening, reading areas, cafes, meeting spaces, maker spaces, cultural spaces, and more. The goal is to think about how the space can be used and evolve over time to meet community needs.
Caregiver Presentation and Product Inspirations Sep 2023 PDF.pdfStephen Abram
This document provides information about products and tools to help caregivers of those with dementia. It discusses goals of increasing quality of life, independence, and reducing stress for both patients and caregivers. It then summarizes various products available at two websites, including tools for wandering prevention, safety, communication, bathing assistance, dining assistance, and home medical equipment. Website links are provided throughout for caregivers to explore different options. The document aims to raise awareness of available aids and help caregivers and patients on their journey.
Caregiver Presentation and Product Inspirations Sep 2023 PPT.pptxStephen Abram
This presentation provides information about tools and aids to support caregivers of those with dementia. It discusses goals such as building awareness of products that can increase safety, quality of life, and independence for dementia patients. It also aims to help caregivers reduce stress and guides them on their caregiving journey. The presentation directs caregivers to two websites that provide a wide range of helpful products.
The document discusses ensuring ethical AI and evaluating new technologies like ChatGPT. It makes four main points:
1. We often judge innovative technologies through the lens of the past instead of what they aim to be.
2. We should consider ethical implications but not make premature judgments based on speculation.
3. ChatGPT is not like search engines and should be viewed as a potential guide or co-pilot rather than just for retrieval.
4. New technologies should be explored to understand their capabilities and limitations before making judgments in order to help shape development in an ethical manner.
This document discusses ensuring ethical AI and summarizes a presentation about ChatGPT. It makes the following key points:
1. When innovative technologies emerge, we often try to understand them through outdated lenses rather than considering what they are attempting to be.
2. New AI tools like ChatGPT should be evaluated based on their own merits as conversational assistants rather than compared to previous technologies like search engines.
3. While considering ethical implications, judgment should not be made too soon based on speculation alone. We should attempt to be part of shaping new technologies responsibly.
CEED Mindfulness in a time of Turbulence.pdfStephen Abram
Stephen Abram introduced himself as the CEO of Lighthouse Consulting, Inc. and presented a webinar on mindfulness in turbulent times. He argued that society should stop glorifying overwork and burning out, and instead encourage more balance. To find balance, one should start with reflecting on themselves and their own well-being, then consider the perspective of their community. By putting positive energy into the world through welcoming behavior, people can receive positive energy in return.
The document provides information about an upcoming webinar hosted by the Centre for Excellence on Empathy, Equity & Diversity (CEEED). It introduces CEEED's mission and strategy of inclusion, as well as its webinar series focusing on topics like interfaith spaces, well-being, and mindfulness. The webinar on June 22nd will feature speeches by Dr. Ellen Choi and Stephen Abram on cultural mindfulness, with questions moderated by CEEED board members. Details are provided on CEEED's board and their publications, with the goal of networking organizations and disseminating resources on social justice issues.
This document discusses strategies for gaining community support through statistics, measurements, and stories to demonstrate impact. It introduces Stephen Abram and Kim Silk who will discuss using data and stories together, with data providing facts and measurements, and stories making data more human and memorable. The document emphasizes that both data and stories are needed to be effective and gain support. It also discusses some challenges with library data and how to address them.
The Antyodaya Saral Haryana Portal is a pioneering initiative by the Government of Haryana aimed at providing citizens with seamless access to a wide range of government services
Food safety, prepare for the unexpected - So what can be done in order to be ready to address food safety, food Consumers, food producers and manufacturers, food transporters, food businesses, food retailers can ...
AHMR is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed online journal created to encourage and facilitate the study of all aspects (socio-economic, political, legislative and developmental) of Human Mobility in Africa. Through the publication of original research, policy discussions and evidence research papers AHMR provides a comprehensive forum devoted exclusively to the analysis of contemporaneous trends, migration patterns and some of the most important migration-related issues.
United Nations World Oceans Day 2024; June 8th " Awaken new dephts".Christina Parmionova
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Bharat Mata - History of Indian culture.pdfBharat Mata
Bharat Mata Channel is an initiative towards keeping the culture of this country alive. Our effort is to spread the knowledge of Indian history, culture, religion and Vedas to the masses.
karnataka housing board schemes . all schemesnarinav14
The Karnataka government, along with the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), offers various housing schemes to cater to the diverse needs of citizens across the state. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the major housing schemes available in the Karnataka housing board for both urban and rural areas in 2024.
Indira awas yojana housing scheme renamed as PMAYnarinav14
Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) played a significant role in addressing rural housing needs in India. It emerged as a comprehensive program for affordable housing solutions in rural areas, predating the government’s broader focus on mass housing initiatives.
This report explores the significance of border towns and spaces for strengthening responses to young people on the move. In particular it explores the linkages of young people to local service centres with the aim of further developing service, protection, and support strategies for migrant children in border areas across the region. The report is based on a small-scale fieldwork study in the border towns of Chipata and Katete in Zambia conducted in July 2023. Border towns and spaces provide a rich source of information about issues related to the informal or irregular movement of young people across borders, including smuggling and trafficking. They can help build a picture of the nature and scope of the type of movement young migrants undertake and also the forms of protection available to them. Border towns and spaces also provide a lens through which we can better understand the vulnerabilities of young people on the move and, critically, the strategies they use to navigate challenges and access support.
The findings in this report highlight some of the key factors shaping the experiences and vulnerabilities of young people on the move – particularly their proximity to border spaces and how this affects the risks that they face. The report describes strategies that young people on the move employ to remain below the radar of visibility to state and non-state actors due to fear of arrest, detention, and deportation while also trying to keep themselves safe and access support in border towns. These strategies of (in)visibility provide a way to protect themselves yet at the same time also heighten some of the risks young people face as their vulnerabilities are not always recognised by those who could offer support.
In this report we show that the realities and challenges of life and migration in this region and in Zambia need to be better understood for support to be strengthened and tuned to meet the specific needs of young people on the move. This includes understanding the role of state and non-state stakeholders, the impact of laws and policies and, critically, the experiences of the young people themselves. We provide recommendations for immediate action, recommendations for programming to support young people on the move in the two towns that would reduce risk for young people in this area, and recommendations for longer term policy advocacy.
PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PFMS) and DBT.pptx
Fopl vaughan librariesboard
1. Prepared for: Federation of Ontario Public Libraries Research Task
Force
N6
Sept. 24, 2015
FEDERATION OF ONTARIO PUBLIC
LIBRARIES RESEARCH
2. Market Probe 2
FOPL Mission
• Collaborative body offering one loud voice for all
Ontario Public Libraries based on agreed cooperative
strategies, and priorities and research.
2
3. Market Probe 3
FOPL Positioning
• Simply put: Now more than ever before, Ontario’s Public
Libraries play a critical role in the social, educational,
cultural and economic success of the communities in our
province.
• Public Libraries are an essential investment in the future of
our communities and are essential drivers of success in
school preparedness, reading readiness, economic and
employment success, and social equity.
• As the development of the knowledge economy
progresses, public libraries are a vital link for every
resident and every community to ensure success of all
Ontarians, regardless of location or background.
3
4. Market Probe 4
FOPL Talking Points
The Public Library value proposition is strong and
includes (but isn’t limited to):
– Excellent Return on Investment
– Strong Economic Development
– Great Employment Support
– Welcoming New Canadians
– Provable Early Literacy Development
– Ongoing Support for Formal Education and Homework Help
– Serve the whole community equitably
– Affordable access to community resources
– Access to Government Services and e-government
– Questions Deserve Quality Answers
– Support Cultural Vitality
– Recognized and Valued Leisure Activities for majority of Ontarians
4
5. • Advocacy and Influence
• Research with Power
• Marketing Our Brand
• VIP – Value, Impact and Positioning
So, how does FOPL accomplish our
community’s goals?
5
6. Today’s Chat
Overview of FOPL's Market Probe Canada Public Opinion Poll
of Ontarians and Public Libraries
Speaker:
Stephen Abram, MLS
Executive Director, FOPL
7. Market Probe 7
Context of FOPL Stats and Measurements
• Statistics and Measurements Strategies
– Participate in CLA task force on national statistics
– Host 2 iSchool symposia on measurements for libraries
– Lobby for open data for public libraries
– Publish analysis of Ministry data collection for 2001-2013.
– Publish Market Probe opinion polls for 2015 (building on
2001, 2006, 2010 polls)
– Host and record webinars
– Coming Soon:
» FOPL Index of Community Engagement
» Province Wide tagline and Marketing Communications plan
» More webinars, legal opinions, lobbying, etc.
7
8. Market Probe 8
Future Webinars in this series
• August 14th, 2015
Overview of FOPL's Ontario Public Library Statistics and
Measurements Report
Speaker: Dr. Robert Molyneux, MLIS, PhD
• August 17, 2015
Overview of FOPL's Market Probe Canada Public Opinion Poll of
Ontarians and Public Libraries
Speaker: Carol French, EVP, Market Probe Canada
• August 28th, 2015
Strategic Use and Insights from FOPL's Ontario Public Library
Statistics, Polls, and Measurements
Speaker: Stephen Abram, MLS, executive director FOPL
8
10. Market Probe 10
2015 Survey: Connecting to the past with a view to the future…
• Fourth wave of a study that has been conducted every five years since 2000
• Objectives:
– Understand Ontario residents’ opinions about the use, role and impact of public
libraries, and how those opinions have changed over time
– Separate public opinion by level of usage of public libraries (including non-use)
– Identify areas of strength and weakness for the public library
• Results will be used to:
– Monitor status of the library
– Formulate strategy
– Identify priorities
– Provide input to a new marketing communication plan
11. Market Probe 11
…through the use of a dual telephone / online survey method
• Significant differences exist between phone and web
respondents
• Also differences in the way people respond to questions
based on methodology
– Multiple response questions
– Rating scale questions
– Social desirability bias
Both surveys made available in
English and French
Telephone Survey
• 600 telephone interviews
conducted from February 26th to
March 16th, 2015
Online Survey
• 1,102 online surveys conducted
from March 5th to March 10th,
2015 using Delvinia’s
AskingCanadians online panel
Age and gender controlled by quotas
Phone Web
Households with children 40% 22%
Graduated college/university 55% 70%
Live in Metro TO / Urban GTA 39% 52%
Born outside Canada 19% 24%
12. Market Probe 12
Most Ontarians read books, and still primarily in hard copy format
86%
27%
28%
31%
16+ books read
6 to 15 books read
1 to 5 books read
Any Books Read in
Past 12 Months 17%
66%
18%
Most likely to have read no books:
• High school or less education 26%
• <$35K household income 23%
• Singles 20%
• Men 19%
Mostly in electronic
format
Mostly in hard copy
Both equally
Books Read in the Past Year Format of Books Read in the Past Year
Age 18-34: 18%
Age 55+: 38%
13. Market Probe 13
Bookstore usage has remained steady, with a substantial portion of traffic
swinging to online visits
12%
18%
51%
19%
14%
14%
41%
31%
More than 10 times
6 to 10 times
1 to 5 times
None
In-Person
Online
22%
47%
31%
Online more
About the same
In-person more
Past Year Bookstore Visit
Frequency
26%
21%
37%
17%
25%
21%
38%
16%
27%
22%
34%
16%
34%
22%
31%
12%
More than 10 times
6 to 10 times
1 to 5 times
None
2015
2010
2005
2000
Past Year Bookstore Visit
Frequency
Relative Frequency of Visiting
Bookstore Online and In-Person
14. Market Probe 14
87%
83%
44%
42%
41%
23%
17%
88%
83%
50%
23%
26%
21%
2015
2010
While Internet penetration has not changed in the last five years, the ways
in which people access the Internet have shifted
Higher among
web panelists
99%
86%
84%
73%
56%
33%
24%
23%
6%
Any Internet
Access
At home
At work
At other places in
the community
using a smartphone
At other places in
the community
using wireless
access
At your public
library
At school
Regular Use of
Internet
Search for specific
information of
interest
Use e-mail, a chat
room or IM
Access the news
Access social
networking sites
Stream movies,
music or other types
of entertainment
Download movies,
music or other types
of entertainment
Download books or
magazines
Create content
Ways Internet Was Accessed in the
Past Year Uses of Internet
15. Market Probe 15
Respondent
Only
27%
With Others in
Household
42%
Other
Household
Member(s)
Only
7%
No One
24% Respondent
Only
28%
With Others in
Household
41%
Other
Household
Member(s)
Only
10%
No One
21%
73%
68%
65%
65%
Yes
2015 2010 2005 2000
Household use of the public library may be slipping slightly, despite a
reported increase in library card ownership
Total Household Usage of the Public Library
2015 2010
49%
26%
22%
8%
50%
31%
23%
8%
47%
27%
19%
7%
51%
24%
17%
9%
Children
Spouse/partner
Others
2015
2010
2005
2000
In Household
Used by Others
(net)
19% among
web panelists
27% among
web panelistsTotal Users
70%
Total Users
69%
Past Year Use of Public Library
by Other Household Members
68% among
web panelists
3% among
web panelists
Have a Library Card
16. Market Probe 16
For most Ontarians, the public library is located close to home and tends
to be an inviting place
Distance from Home
to Closest Library
70%
20%
5%
1%
4%
5 kilometres or less
6 to 10 kilometres
11 to 20 kilometres
More than 20
kilometres
Don’t know
Condition of Library
Closest to Home
56%
28%
2%
13%
Inviting space
Okay, but could use
some improvement
Not pleasant
Never been inside
library
Ranges from 64% in
Northern Ontario to
80% in Metro Toronto
5 kilometres or less
6 to 10 kilometres
11 to 20 kilometres
More than 20
kilometres
Don’t know
Inviting space
Okay, but could use
some improvement
Not pleasant
Never been inside
library
Age 18-34: 47%
Age 55+: 62%
17. Market Probe 17
Nearly one-third of those surveyed have not used the public library in the
past year (although most have used it sometime in the past)
Don’t Use the Public Library
31%
31%
30%
31%
2015
2010
2005
2000
91%9%
Yes (%)
No (%)
Ever used the Public Library
Had a Negative Experience
(All users, current and past)
5%95%
Yes (%)
No (%)
10% among web panelists
18. Market Probe 18
50%
30%
21%
8%
7%
6%
40%
34%
27%
9%
10%
6%
21%
25%
26%
7%
3%
6%
22%
30%
21%
12%
8%
6%
Get information
from other sources
Not interested
Too busy
Don't read
Library isn't
accessible
Use library at
school or work
Availability of information from other sources and lack of interest are the
two main reasons for not using the public library
Reasons for Not Using the Public Library
6%
5%
3%
3%
4%
4%
1%
11%
4%
1%
5%
7%
4%
2%
2%
6%
7%
2%
Due to illness /
injury / too old
No reason /
don't know
Prefer to buy /
share books
Library hours
not convenient
Have own
library / books
Get information from
other sources
Not interested
Too busy
Don't read
Library isn't
accessible
Use library at school
or work
Due to illness /
injury / too old
No reason /
don't know
Prefer to buy / share
books
Library hours not
convenient
Have own library /
books
Reasons
reversed among
web panelists
68%
32%
65%
35%
65%
35%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Yes
No
2015
2010
2005
2000
• Higher income earners are
more likely to get information
from other sources
• Those with lower income are
more likely to not be interested
19. Market Probe 19
Frequency of visiting the library in person has remained constant, while
online access has increased over the last five years
In-Person Library Visit
Frequency in Past Year
Accessed Library by…
Telephone 22%
Text 2%
Social Media 7%
17%
10%
12%
27%
34%
18%
11%
12%
25%
34%
18%
12%
10%
25%
34%
19%
11%
12%
25%
32%
21+ times
11 to 20 times
6 to 10 times
1 to 5 times
Not at all
2015
2010
2005
2000
Times Accessed Library’s
Website in Past Year
17%
25%
58%
12%
22%
66%
9%
28%
63%
11 or more times
1 to 10 times
Not at all
2015
2010
2005
37% among web panelists
37% among web panelists
43% among web panelists
11% among web panelists
20. Market Probe 20
Use of the Internet to access the public library is complementing, not
replacing, in-person visits
2010
37%
1% 1%
13%
12%
In-Person
Internet
Phone
33%
2%
2015
27%
1% 1%
20%
11%
In-Person
Internet
Phone
36%
3%
Ways Users Access the Public Library
Significant differences among
web panelists (2015):
In-person only 19%
In-person / Internet 49%
In-person / phone 3%
21. Market Probe 21
88%
35%
22%
11%
4%
A desktop or laptop
computer
A tablet
A smartphone
An e-reader
An iPod or MP3
player
E-readers are less popular than other devices for accessing library
materials
33%67%
Yes (%)
No (%)
Devices Used to Access
Resources from the Library
E-reader ownership
(among those who have
not used an e-reader to
access library resources)
30% 70%
Yes (%)
No (%)
Ever tried to download
public library e-books
using an e-reader
A desktop or laptop
computer
A tablet
A smartphone
An e-reader
An iPod or MP3
player
22. Market Probe 22
Bookstores continue to receive more visits than libraries,
especially online
Bookstore vs. Library Visit
Frequency
42%
26%
29%
3%
43%
28%
28%
1%
Bookstores more
About the same
Libraries more
Don't know
2015
2010 9%
21%
26%
12%
21%
10%
13%
15%
19%
10%
25%
18%
Library
only
Library
more
Both
equally
Bookstore
more
Bookstore
only
Neither
In-Person Usage Online Usage
Relative Frequency of Using Libraries and Bookstores
23. Market Probe 23
In-person library visitors are engaging in fewer activities, with use of the
library’s wireless network being the only one to register increased usage
Reasons for Personally Using the Public Library
84%
56%
34%
28%
26%
25%
23%
23%
16%
14%
10%
90%
70%
41%
33%
26%
17%
33%
23%
13%
21%
16%
88%
73%
38%
31%
32%
18%
9%
21%
16%
88%
77%
47%
19%
32%
17%
9%
24%
18%
Borrow books, CDs, DVDs or other materials
Get information on a topic of personal
interest
Read or study
Access the Internet using library computers
Relax or socialize
Use the library's wireless network
Access databases / other electronically
stored info*
Take a child to a program or activity
Attend a lecture, program, meeting or
training session
Work assignment or keep up-to-date at work
School or class assignment
86%
59%
44%
35%
31%
31%
27%
25%
18%
21%
27%
Total Household Usage
(2015)
68%
32%
65%
35%
65%
35%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Yes
No
2015
2010
2005
2000
Web panelists indicated
fewer reasons in total and,
in particular, were much
less likely to mention
borrowing materials and
getting information on a
topic of interest
* Wording changed in 2015.
24. Market Probe 24
64%
45%
36%
26%
26%
25%
19%
13%
12%
9%
7%
6%
4%
72%
55%
49%
25%
35%
28%
15%
13%
14%
12%
10%
8%
2015
2010
Similarly, at the total respondent level, household usage of nearly all
library services has declined since 2010
Lender of materials
Assistance in finding information
Reference centre
Focal point or meeting place
Place to study
Help with school projects or homework
Local history collections
Training in how to access information online*
Early literacy programs
Government services through library-based
kiosks
Information for the unemployed
Resources for small business and entrepreneurs
Services to new Canadians
Web panelists reported
lower household usage of
almost all services shown,
especially obtaining
assistance in finding
information
Past Year Usage of Library Services
by Someone in Household
* Wording changed in 2015.
25. Market Probe 25
42%
30%
24%
26%
14%
14%
10%
5%
34%
25%
21%
23%
12%
5%
4%
33%
14%
14%
13%
7%
2%
8%
5%
2%
Check catalogue
Renew an item
Reserve an item
Access other materials
via library's website
Download an item
Manage / make
changes to library account
Consult a librarian by
e-mail, chat or IM
Unlike in-person activities, use of the library by telephone / text and
Internet has increased over the past five years
23%
16%
14%
12%
4%
19%
13%
13%
10%
12%
7%
10%
7%
18%
11%
Consult a librarian
Renew an item
Reserve an item
Enquire / request
changes to
account
68%
32%
65%
35%
65%
35%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Yes
No
2015
2010
2005
2000
Telephone / Text*
Consult a librarian
Renew an item
Reserve an item
Enquire / request
changes to account
Internet
Check catalogue
Renew an item
Reserve an item
Access other materials
via library's website
Download an item
Manage / make changes
to library account
Consult a librarian by
e-mail, chat or IM
Past Year Use of Public Library by
Telephone / Text
Past Year Use of Public Library by
Internet
57% among
web panelists
* Wording changed in 2015.
26. Market Probe 26
E-books, fiction and non-fiction, are clearly the most widely used
electronic resources obtained from the library
41%59%
Yes (%)
No (%)
39%
28%
15%
14%
14%
9%
8%
6%
E-books fiction
E-books non-fiction
Digital movies
E-newspapers
or journal articles
E-magazines
E-audiobooks
Digital music
E-local history or
genealogy information
Checked the Library’s Online
Catalogue, Downloaded an Item,
or Accessed Other Materials via
the Library’s Website
Telephone respondents
indicated a significant
increase in their use of
fiction e-books over the
past five years, and a
directional increase in
non-fiction as well
E-books fiction
E-books non-fiction
Digital movies
E-newspapers or journal
articles
E-magazines
E-audiobooks
Digital music
E-local history or
genealogy information
Specific Types of Electronic Resources
Used on Library’s Website
27. Market Probe 27
Relatively few of those who access the library’s electronic materials were
familiar with the new electronic channels or services some libraries offer
27%
22%
15%
13%
13%
Zinio
Hoopla
AskON
Indieflix
Freegal
Familiar with
Channel
Accessed via
Library Account
Accessed
Elsewhere
Familiarity and Use of New Electronic Channels
7% 9%
9% 2%
3% 3%
1% 2%
4% 2%
28. Market Probe 28
47
39
42
36
25
24
28
33
The public library is the only
affordable place where the average
Ontarian can go for information
The public library is the best place for
people of all ages to go to pursue
lifelong learning
Bottom 6 Ratings
(1-6 on a 10-pt. scale)
Top 2 Ratings
(9-10 on a 10-pt. scale)
36%
50%
11%
3%
37%
49%
11%
3%
25%
56%
16%
4%
22%
55%
20%
3%
Top of list
Middle of list
Bottom of list
Don't know
2015
2010
2005
2000
Ontarians’ overall opinions about the public library have held steady, and
perhaps even improved slightly, since 2010
68%
32%
65%
35%
65%
35%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Yes
No
2015
2010
2005
2000
Benefit of Public Libraries Relative to
Other Municipal Tax-Supported Services Believability of Positioning Statements
Bottom 6 Ratings
(1-6 on a 10-pt. scale)
Top 2 Ratings
(9-10 on a 10-pt. scale)
Age 18-34: 29%
Age 55+: 40%
29. Market Probe 29
56%
54%
50%
46%
34%
32%
31%
30%
29%
28%
26%
26%
25%
19%
Most Ontarians acknowledge the public library’s role in advancing
literacy, equal opportunity, and quality of life in their communities
Public libraries are important because they promote literacy and a love
of reading
By providing free access to materials and resources, the public library
plays an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed
Having a public library improves the quality of life in a community
Public libraries are welcoming, friendly places
The public library is the only affordable place where the average
Ontarian can go for information
Public libraries provide many services people would have a hard time
finding elsewhere
The public library provides valuable resources to increase health
literacy within the communities it serves
The public library is the best place for people of all ages to go to pursue
lifelong learning
Public libraries have done a good job of keeping up with new
technologies
The public library serves as an important meeting place and focal point
within the community
The public library is continually expanding the services it offers
It is very easy to find whatever you are looking for at the public library
Now that information is available from so many different sources,
people need public libraries more than ever
By providing access to information from a wide variety of sources,
public libraries promote an understanding of political issues
% Strongly Agree
Believability of Positioning Statements
42% 65%
47% 59%
39% 60%
35% 52%
25% 35%
24% 37%
24% 31%
25% 30%
22% 36%
22% 28%
23% 28%
18% 30%
20% 25%
17% 17%
By Age
18-34 55+
30. Market Probe 30
The perceived value of several library services has increased over the
past five years
68%
32%
65%
35%
65%
35%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Yes
No
2015
2010
2005
2000
Perceived Value of Library Services
* Wording changed in 2015.
68
60
56
54
50
45
45
40
37
31
31
28
21
69
46
55
45
42
47
27
30
24
22
25
18
9
13
15
14
17
20
18
26
31
33
35
39
45
9
22
13
21
22
16
35
33
39
44
39
46
Lender of materials
Early literacy programs
Reference centre
Provider of support for school
projects or homework
Place to study
Local history collections
Assistance in finding information
Services to new Canadians
Information for the unemployed
Trainer in how to access
info online*
Focal point or meeting place
Government services through library-
based kiosks
Resources for small business and
entrepreneurs
Bottom 6 Ratings
(1-6 on a 10-pt. scale)
Top 2 Ratings
(9-10 on a 10-pt. scale)
n/an/a
Web panelists’
ratings were lower
for almost all
services, likely due
to methodology
Bottom 6 Ratings
(1-6 on a 10-pt. scale)
Top 2 Ratings
(9-10 on a 10-pt. scale)
31. Market Probe 31
0
40
80
Assistance in Finding Information
Early Literacy Progams
Focal Point or Meeting Place
Government Services Kiosks
Information for the Unemployed
Lender of Materials
Local History CollectionsPlace to Study
Reference Centre
Resources for Small Business
Services to New Canadians
Support for School Projects or
Homework
Training in How to Access Info Online
There is a bigger gap between web panelists’ perceived value and usage
of assistance with finding information versus phone respondents
0
40
80
Assistance in finding information
Early literacy programs
Focal point or meeting place
Government services through
library-based kiosks
Information for the unemployed
Lender of materials
Local history collectionsPlace to study
Provider of support for school
projects or homework
Reference centre
Resources for small business and
entrepreneurs
Services to new Canadians
Training in how to access info online
Percent Valuing the Service Percent Using the Service
Telephone Survey Online Survey
Value & Usage Combined
0
40
80
Assistance in Finding Information
Early Literacy Programs
Focal Point or Meeting Place
Government Services Kiosks
Information for the Unemployed
Lender of Materials
Local History CollectionsPlace to Study
Reference Centre
Resources for Small Business
Services to New Canadians
Support for School Projects or
Homework
Training in How to Access Info Online
32. Market Probe 32
Services to new Canadians and support for school projects / homework
are of higher relative value to non-users than users
Relative Value of Services to Users and Non-Users
Lender of
Materials
Reference
Centre
Government Services
Kiosks
Meeting Place
Early Literacy
Programs
Place to
Study
Local History
Collections
Training in How
to Access Info
Information for
Unemployed
Resources for
Small Business
Assistance in
Finding Info
Services to
New Canadians
Support of School
Projects/Homework
6.2
6.4
6.6
6.8
7.0
7.2
7.4
7.3 7.5 7.7 7.9 8.1 8.3 8.5 8.7 8.9
ValuetoNon-UsersofEachService
Value to Users of Each Service
33. Market Probe 33
Most Ontarians feel that, hypothetically, a local library closing would have
more impact on the community than on themselves and their families
64%
29%
7%
32%
45%
23%
Major Impact
Minor Impact
No Impact at all
Community
Family
Telephone survey
respondents were
more likely than
web panelists to
think there would
be major impacts
Major Minor None
Major 29% 30% 6%
Minor 3% 15% 11%
None 0% 0% 6%
Family Impact
CommunityImpact
Impact of Public Library Closing on…
Age 18-34: 57%
Age 55+: 72%
Age 18-34: 24%
Age 55+: 36%
34. Market Probe 34
Views remain mixed as to whether libraries will become more or less
important in the future
26%
43%
27%
5%
23%
44%
29%
4%
27%
45%
23%
6%
27%
41%
25%
7%
More important
No change
Less important
Don't know
2015
2010
2005
2000
Opinion of Future Importance of Public Libraries
35. Market Probe 35
19%
15%
15%
16%
10%
12%
12%
9%
9%
7%
36%
35%
35%
29%
33%
27%
26%
26%
24%
24%
55%
50%
49%
44%
44%
39%
38%
35%
33%
31%
Very Likely Somewhat Likely Total
Interest in new library service concepts varies, in many cases
based on age
A program that allows people to try out the newest tech devices or
applications, such as 3D printers or laser cutters
Library kiosks located throughout the community where people can
check out books, movies or music without having to go to the
library itself
A personalized online account that gives you recommendations
based on your past library activity
A cell phone app that allows you to access library services from
your mobile phone
An online research service where you could pose questions and get
responses from librarians
A cell phone app that helps you locate material easily in the library
using GPS
E-book readers already loaded with the book you want to read
Instruction on how to use handheld reading devices and tablets
Classes on how to download library e-books to handheld devices
A digital media lab where you could create and upload new digital
content like your own movies or e-books
Likelihood of Using Different Library Services
64% 46%
57% 39%
61% 39%
62% 24%
43% 37%
54% 19%
45% 34%
31% 40%
30% 38%
42% 21%
By Age
18-34 55+
36. Market Probe 36
66%
51%
45%
35%
34%
30%
26%
19%
8%
Communication preferences also differ by age, but email does rank
highest among all groups
Email
Articles in the local paper
Information on the library's website
Social media
Notices at the library
Notices in community centres or other public places
Inserts with your tax bill or other local government
mailings
Notices in schools
Talks / presentations to community groups
Best Way to Inform about What’s Going On at the Library
59% 73%
40% 63%
36% 48%
46% 22%
31% 34%
28% 32%
20% 32%
21% 12%
6% 12%
By Age
18-34 55+
37. Market Probe 37
Connecting to the past: the public library continues to deliver value as
patrons’ usage patterns evolve
• Overall opinions and value perceptions of the library remain very strong.
– Its position in people’s minds relative to other tax-supported services is consistent with
previous studies, and reactions to earlier positioning statements have improved
slightly.
– The public acknowledges the library’s role in advancing literacy, equal opportunity, and
quality of life in Ontario communities.
– The value of certain services (e.g., for young children, new Canadians, and the
unemployed) has increased over the past five years.
– A majority of residents feel if their local library were to close, it would have a major
impact on the community (but not necessarily on them personally).
• Numbers of library users have remained consistent, but usage patterns
have changed.
– The number of library non-users has been extremely steady over the last 15 years.
– Library card ownership has increased; still, household usage levels may be softening
slightly.
– Reported in-person library visit frequency has remained the same over the years, but in
2015, the number of people using the library both online and in-person has surpassed
the number of in-person-only visitors.
– Usage of many services is lower than reported previously, indicating that library users
may be becoming more selective in choosing which services to use.
38. Market Probe 38
View to the future: the library needs to determine which investments to
make (and which to skip) in the face of technological and social change
• Regular review of strategies and tactics becomes even more important as
technology, channel, and media preferences change.
– Electronic access is complementing, not replacing, in-person usage; therefore,
duplication of hard copy and electronic materials, plus increased channel costs, will be
the norm for the foreseeable future.
– Ensuring compatibility with an ever expanding array of electronic devices will continue
to pose challenges.
• Communicating about new service offerings will be as important as
providing them.
– Traditional library services are not increasing in usage or perceived value.
– Interest in new services is fragmented, meaning trade-offs will need to made.
– Communications about new services will have to be geared to the proper segments to
create sufficient awareness, interest, and take-up.
– People’s preference for email suggests that creation of contact lists, user groups and
advisory panels may be required in order to maintain a dialogue with library users.
• How the library can best serve a future generation of users remains
uncertain.
– Older people’s respect for the heritage and social contribution of the public library
system will not necessarily be passed down to a younger generation.
– Not every library can afford to be all things to all people; there may be an increasing
need to develop centrally and deliver locally.
39. Market Probe 39
The biggest challenge of all…
All future strategies and plans should be designed with the
objective of convincing more people that the public library can be
of as much value to them personally as they think it is to others.
40. Market Probe
The Federation would like to thank the
Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport
for the historical data
Market Probe