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Evaluating social and economic impact of public access computing at
public librariespublic libraries
Ugne Rutkauskiene,
Impact Assessment Specialist
Project “Libraries for Innovation”
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Research problem
Although public libraries in Lithuania are main
providers of free of charge public access to
Internet they are not seen as important players Internet they are not seen as important players
in diffusion of ICTs by decision makers
There is no valid and trustful data about their
impacts on users and communities
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Theoretical background
Goal – to investigate social and economic outcomes and impacts of public access computing on users
Main research questions:
• How and why public access computing is being used?• How and why public access computing is being used?
• What is typical user’s profile?
• For what purposes public access computing is being
used?
• What social and economic benefits public access
computing brings?
• What is the role and value of library and librarian?
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Research design
References: Usherwood&Linley; McClure&Bertot; Durrance&Fisher; Poll&Payne; The Global Impact Study
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Internet availability and usage
55% of inhabitants have Internet at home BUT
54% of inhabitants in rural areas do not have
access at home or at work
Internet is available at 70% of public libraries
BUT twice less rural libraries are connected
Internet is used by 62% of inhabitants BUT it is
not used by disabled (80%), elderly (67%), low
income (66%) and unemployed people (63%)
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Internet usage in public libraries
34% of inhabitants have used the Internet in
public library, it is an ordinary place to use
Internet for 14%
For 79% of PAC users library is the main place
to access the Internet, 28% do not have any
alternative access
Main users are students and schoolchildren BUT
also elderly, low income and unemployed people
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Areas of Internet use
52%
59%
39%
46%
55%
Communication
Occupation and Economic Activities
Leisure and Culture
11%
26%
29%
51%
14%
28%
29%
39%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
E-Government
Health
Education
Communication
PAC users Internet users in general
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Social impact
67%
85%
Better communication with friends and family
Enriched cultural life and leasure
19%
47%
47%
67%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Better access to government
Support in learning
Better opportunities to solve health problems
and family
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Economic impact
26%
47%
Helped to buy things or services
Saved money
11%
19%
19%
26%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Helped to earn money
Helped to increase income
Helped to find job
Helped to buy things or services
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Role and value of library and
librarianLIBRARY:
Free
Other services are
LIBRARIANS:
31% of users need
helpOther services are
available
Is a convenient place
Has staff that can
help
Provides access to
other IT devices
help
75% consult users in
ICT
1/3 of libraries train
users in ICT
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Methodological considerations
It is very difficult to attribute impact to the library
Library impact has to be measured in a
composite way, without missing any peace of composite way, without missing any peace of
chain (input->output->outcomes->impact)
To get full picture one has to combine both
qualitative and quantitative methods
To measure “real” impact study has to be
longitudinal
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THANK YOU! Study reports are available at: www.bibliotekospazangai.lt/ImpactAssessment