public libraries in the digital age
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Public libraries in the digital age. Kathryn Zickuhr and Mary Madden Pew Internet & American Life Project Presented to: Chief Officers of State Library Agencies Spring Meeting April 25, 2012. About Pew Internet. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Public libraries in the digital age
Kathryn Zickuhr and Mary MaddenPew Internet & American Life Project
Presented to: Chief Officers of State Library Agencies Spring Meeting
April 25, 2012
About Pew Internet
• Part of the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan “fact tank” in Washington, DC
• Studies how people use digital technologies
• Does not promote specific technologies or make policy recommendations
• Research is primarily based on nationally representative telephone surveys of adultspewinternet.org
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, $1.4 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
libraries.pewinternet.org
RESEARCH TIMELINE
Stage I (August 2011-July 2012)
Libraries + new technologies
• The Rise of E-Reading - Published– Includes special focus on reading habits of people who own
e-readers or tablet computers
• E-books and libraries - June 2012– Will include stories and quotes from online surveys of library
staff and patrons (in the field now)
• Library use in different community types• The habits of younger library users
RESEARCH TIMELINE
Stage II (May-November 2012)
The changing world of library services
• The evolving role of libraries in communities– New library services– People’s expectations of libraries– “The library of the future”
• The role of libraries in the life of special populations– Lower-income users, minorities, rural residents, senior
citizens
RESEARCH TIMELINE
Stage III (September 2012–April 2013)
A typology of who does – and does not – use libraries
• A “library user” typology
– Different user “types” based on:• What their local libraries are like• How they use libraries• Attitudes about libraries in general
• An updated, in-depth portrait of young library users
What we have done so far…
First report: The rise of e-reading
21% of American adults read an e-book in the last year 68% read a print book11% listened to an audiobook
The book format used by readers on any given day is changing% of adult book readers (age 18+) using this format on an average day, as of June 2010 and December 2011
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 e-readers read their e-books% of all Americans age 16 and older who read an e-book in the past12 months, as of December 2011
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
The contours of the gadget landscape
29% of US adults own a specialized device for e-reading (either a tablet or an e-reader)
– 19% of adults own ane-book reader
– 19% of adults own a tablet computer
What kind of e-reader do you own?% of American adult e-reader owners age 18+ who own each type ofe-book reader
What kind of tablet computer do you own?% of American adult tablet owners age 18+ who own each type oftablet computer
What is the main reason you do not currently have an e-reader?% of American adults age 16+ who do not own an e-book reader, as of December 2011
Just don't need one/don’t want one 24%Cost/can’t afford it 19Prefer books/print 16Don’t read/no time to read 10Don’t know what an e-reader is 5Don’t want to learn tech/don’t know how to use it 4Have enough other devices/use other devices 3Plan to get one/waiting for better features 3Have iPad/tablet 3Lack of time in general 2I’m too old 2Vision/health problems <1Other 3
Don’t know/refused 5
Dec. 2011 results are from a survey of 2,986 people age 16 and older conducted November 16-December 21, 2011. The survey was conducted in English and Spanish and on landline and call phones. The margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points. N for number of non-owners of e-reading devices=2,290.
What is the main reason you do not currently have a tablet computer?% of American adults age 16+ who do not own a tablet computer, as of December 2011
Just don't need one/don’t want one 35%Cost/can’t afford it 25Have enough devices/happy with current devices 20Don’t want to learn tech/don’t know how to use it 7Don’t know what a tablet computer is 2Plan to get one/waiting for better features 2I’m too old 2Lack of time in general 1Don’t read/no time to read <1Vision/health problems <1Prefer books/print <1Prefer to use library <1Other 2Don’t know/refused 3Dec. 2011 results are from a survey of 2,986 people age 16 and older conducted November 16-December 21, 2011. The survey was conducted in English and Spanish and on landline and call phones. The margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points. N for number of non-owners of e-reading devices=2,290.
Which is better for these purposes, a printed book or an e-book?% of Americans 16+ who have read both e-books and print books in the last 12 months
When you want to read a particular e-book, where do you look first?% of readers of e-books age 16+, as of December 2011
Additional takeaways for librarians
• The gadget doesn’t make the reader, but it may change the reader
• 41% of tablet owners and 35% of e-reader owners said they were reading more since the advent of e-content
• A majority of print readers (54%) and e-book readers (61%) prefer to purchase their own copies of these books; most audiobook listeners (61%) prefer to borrow their audiobooks
WHAT’S NEXT
Online surveys: E-books and libraries
• Two surveys:1. Patrons who check out e-books2. Staff at libraries that lend out e-books
• Online surveys = Stories, not statistics
• Focusing on public libraries in the U.S.
• In the field now; surveys will be open until Friday, May 18th
WHAT’S NEXT
Online surveys: E-books and libraries
• Patrons survey – Please share!– http://bit.ly/pewebooksurvey– No password
• Librarian survey – Please take!– http://bit.ly/pewlibrarian– Email Kathryn at [email protected]
for password
Thank you!Kathryn ZickuhrEmail: [email protected]: @kzickuhr
Mary MaddenEmail: [email protected]: @mary_madden
libraries.pewinternet.org