greatest hits from pew internet’s library research lee rainie - @lrainie director pew research...
TRANSCRIPT
Greatest Hits from Pew Internet’s Library Research
Lee Rainie - @lrainieDirector
Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
Presented to: American Library Association Midwinter Conference January 26, 2013
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“Tweckle (twek’ul) vt. To abuse a speaker to
Twitter followers in the audience while he/she is
speaking.”
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we need a tshirt, "I survived the keynote disaster of 09"
it's awesome in the "I don't want to turn away from the accident because I might
see a severed head" way
too bad they took my utensils away w/ my plate. I could have jammed the butter knife
into my temple.
About our libraries research
• Goal: To study the changing role of public libraries and library users in the digital age
• Funded by a three-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Three Phases: 1) e-content; 2) library services;3) Library user segmentation typology
libraries.pewinternet.org
First phase: The rise of e-readingLate 2011: 16% of American adults read an e-book in past year
Late 2012: 23%
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Late 2011: 72% read a printed book
Late 2012: 67%
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30% of e-content readers say they are reading more now
Rise of e-reading devices
Who are the readers behind the screens?
Readers of e-books are more likely than other readers to be:• Under age 50• College educated• Living in households earning $50K+
Other key characteristics:• They read more books, more often, and for a wider range of reasons• More likely to buy than borrow
How device owners read their e-books % of owners of each device who read e-books on that device
* = among people who own that device
How many books Americans readAmong book readers, the mean and median number of books each group read in the past 12 months, among all Americans ages 16 and older
Mean number ofbooks read (average)
Median (midpoint)
All those 16 and older 17 8
Ages 16-17 (n=144) 18 10
Ages 18-24 (n=298) 17 7
Ages 25-29 (n=186) 17 6
Ages 30-39 (n=434) 14 6
Ages 40-49 (n=449) 15 6
Ages 50-64 (n=804) 18 8
Ages 65+ (n=622) 23 12
Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Reading Habits Survey, November 16-December 21, 2011. N=2,986 respondents ages 16 and older. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish and on landline and cells. N for those who have read book year=2,474.
Reading on a “typical day” (among book readers)
Used library in past year
Got help from a librarian (among library users)
E-book borrowing
Late 2012: 5% of Americans 16+ have borrowed e-book from library in last year
Growing awareness that this is library feature: now 31% of public
Yet, 57% don’t know whether this is a service they can use, including many library lovers
Borrowers are buyers, too
Problems with borrowing process% of e-borrowers
Open to library coaching/tech support
Phase 2: Library services• “Survey Finds Rising Reliance on Libraries as a Gateway to the Web” – New
York Times• “Not dead yet: Libraries still vital, Pew report finds” – Los Angeles Times• “Libraries remain important to communities, report finds” – Columbus
Dispatch• “Books rule, but library users like innovations, poll says” – St. Louis Post
Dispatch• “Libraries are still vibrant, say Americans” – Christian Science Monitor• “Are Search Engines Driving Libraries to Extinction?” – Search Engine Land• “Pew Study Suggests Libraries (And Print) Still Have A Future In An E-
Book World” – TechCrunch• “More than just books: Pew study details how technology has changed
libraries” – GeekWire
Mega Takeaway 1: People love their libraries even more for what they say about their communities
than for how libraries meet personal needs
• 91% say libraries are important to their communities
• 76% say libraries are important to them and their families
Robert Dawson photography - Library Road Triphttp://www.robertdawson.com/pages/1/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/
Mega Takeaway 1 (corollary): People appreciate their librarians
• 98% of “ever” library visitors say interactions are “very positive”• 81% of library visitors say librarians are “very helpful”• 50% of “last year” visitors got help from a librarian
Mega Takeaway 2: Libraries have rebranded themselves as tech hubs
• 80% of Americans say borrowing books is a “very important” service libraries provide
• 80% say reference librarians are a “very important” service
• 77% say free access to computers and the internet is a “very important” service
Mega Takeaway 3: The public wants everything equally, so library leadership will matter in setting priorities
Mega Takeaway 3 (corollary):African-Americans and Latinos are esp. enthusiastic
Mega Takeaway 4: The public invites you to be more engaged in knotty problems
Mega Takeaway 5: Libraries have a PR problem / opportunity
• 22% say that they know all or most of the services their libraries offer
• 46% say they know some of what their libraries offer
• 31% said they know not much or nothing at all of what their libraries offer
Mega Takeaway 6: Target audiences for engagement/outreach are not hard to ID
22% 23%31% 38%
Mega Takeaway 6 (corollary): There is churn in library use that restocks the user base
Reasons library use INCREASED (26%)
Enjoy taking their children, grandchildren 26%
Do research and use reference materials 14%
Borrow books more 12%
Student 10%
Use library computers and internet 8%
Have more time to read now, retired 6%
To save money 6%
Good selection and variety 5%
E-books, audio books, media are available 5%
Convenient 5%
Reading more now 5%
Library events and activities 4%
Good library and helpful staff 3%
Quiet, relaxing time, social locale 2%
Use for my job 2%
Reasons library use DECREASED (22%)
Can get books, do research online and the internet is more convenient 40%
Library is not as useful because my children have grown, I'm retired, I'm no longer a student
16%
Too busy, no time 12%Can't get to library, moved, don't know where library is 9%
Prefer e-books 6%Prefer to buy books or get books from friends 5%
Not interested 4%Health issues 3%Don't read much these days 3%Don't like local library or staff 3%Children are too young 2%
Mega Takeaway 6 (corollary): There is a truly detached population out there that matters to you
• 20% never saw a family member use a library when they were growing up
• 16% have never visited a library
• 23% didn’t read a book last 12 months
How you can help us
• Sign up to participate in our research (and encourage your friends!): http://libraries.pewinternet.org/participate/
• Write us: What Pew Internet should study next
Libraries.pewinternet.orgLee RainieEmail: [email protected] Twitter: @Lrainie
Kathryn ZickuhrEmail: [email protected]: @kzickuhr
Kristen PurcellEmail: @[email protected]: @kristenpurcell