Post on 20-Aug-2015
The New Library
Lee Rainie - @lrainie
Director
Pew Research Center’s Internet Project
Presented to: Wyoming Library Association
October 3, 2013
“Tell the truth, and trust the people” -- Joseph N. Pew, Jr.
http://bit.ly/dUvWe3
http://bit.ly/100qMub
The new library has figured out 5 things 1. How its users want to …
a. Access knowledge
b. Be delighted and surprised
c. Retreat from hyper-abundance and connectivity
d. Participate in new learning experiences
2. How to act as trusted information concierge to patrons any time and anywhere … be a “node” in people’s social networks
3. How to close divides and open community opportunities – especially in addressing “market shortcomings”
4. What its franchise/value proposition is -- and how to deliver “commodity” goods and services as cheaply and efficiently as possible
The new library has figured out 5 things 1. How its users want to …
a. Access knowledge
b. Be delighted and surprised
c. Retreat from hyper-abundance and connectivity
d. Participate in new learning experiences
2. How to act as trusted information concierge to patrons any time and anywhere … be a “node” in people’s social networks
3. How to close divides and open community opportunities – especially in addressing “market shortcomings”
4. What its franchise/value proposition is -- and how to deliver “commodity” goods and services as cheaply and efficiently as possible
All these are driven by technology change
Digital Revolution 1: Broadband at home - 70% (+10% more have smartphones) - Internet users overall: 85%
3%
70%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
June 2000
April 2001
March 2002
March 2003
April 2004
March 2005
March 2006
March 2007
April 2008
April 2009
May 2010
Aug 2011
April 2012
May 2013
Dial-up Broadband
Broadband at home
Dial-up at home
The Landscape of Social Media Users (among adults)
% of internet
users who…. The service is especially appealing to
Use Any Social
Networking Site 72% Adults ages 18-29, women
Use Facebook 71% Women, ages 18-29
LinkedIn 22% Men, whites, college educated
Use Pinterest 21% Women, adults under 50, whites,
those with some college education
Use Twitter 18% Ages 18-29, African-Americans,
urban residents
Use Instagram 17% Ages 18-29, African-Americans,
Latinos, women, urban residents
Use Tumblr 6% Adults ages 18-29
reddit 6% Men ages 18-29
Digital Revolution 2 Mobile – 91% … smartphone 56% … tablets 34%
326.4
Total U.S. population: 319 million
2012
Changes in smartphone ownership
35%
48%
17%
46% 41%
12%
56%
35%
9%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Smartphone Other cell phone No cell phone
May 2011 February 2012 May 2013
84%
70%
67%
88%
73%
66%
83%
62%* 49%*
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Internet access Home broadband Mobile internet
Urban Suburban Rural
+10%
The rural story
* Statistically significant difference
+10%
+8%
No broadband, but have smartphones
Libraries and tech
85%
53%
41%
26%
16%
34%
83%
55%
41%
27%
13%
30%
84%
52%
28%
17%
8%
29%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Ever visit library Visit library last 12 months
Ever visit website Visit website last 12 months
Connect w/ mobile device
Use library computers/internet
Urban Suburban Rural
Among library users
Digital Revolution 3 Social networking – 61% of all adults
% of internet users
9%
89%
7%
78%
6%
60%
1%
43%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
18-29 30-49 50-64 65+
Big challenge for libraries Atoms bits
Collections
are
disrupted
Big challenge for libraries People come to us We go to people
The library as
place becomes
the library
as placeless
resource
Big challenge for libraries Expertise and influence emerges in
networks and algorithms
Share the
stage with
amateur
experts
How users want to …
• Access knowledge – Any time, just-in-time, real time, anywhere, any device • 71% say they’d use online “ask a librarian”
• 71% want broader selection of e-books (plus “petting zoos”, kiosks, e-reader training, pre-loaded devices)
• Be delighted and surprised • 56% would like more recommendations
• Retreat from hyper-abundance and connectivity • 76% say its very important to offer quiet study spaces
• Participate in new learning experiences
The new library has figured out 5 things 1. How its users want to …
a. Access knowledge
b. Be delighted and surprised
c. Retreat from hyper-abundance and connectivity
d. Participate in new learning experiences
2. How to act as trusted information concierge to patrons any time and anywhere … be a “node” in people’s social networks
3. How to close divides and open community opportunities – especially in addressing “market shortcomings”
4. What its franchise/value proposition is -- and how to deliver “commodity” goods and services as cheaply and efficiently as possible
Social networks and social media become more important in people’s
learning strategies
What does this mean? 1) Social networks are more influential and are
differently segmented and layered
Sentries
What does this mean?
Evaluators
1) Social networks are more influential and are differently segmented and layered
What does this mean?
Audience = New media are the
new neighborhood
1) Social networks are more influential and are differently segmented and layered
The new library has figured out 5 things 1. How its users want to …
a. Access knowledge
b. Be delighted and surprised
c. Retreat from hyper-abundance and connectivity
d. Participate in new learning experiences
2. How to act as trusted information concierge to patrons any time and anywhere … be a “node” in people’s social networks
3. How to close divides and open community opportunities – especially in addressing “market shortcomings”
4. What its franchise/value proposition is -- and how to deliver “commodity” goods and services as cheaply and efficiently as possible
17% of rural residents do not use the internet -1
• 37% of non-internet users in rural areas think the internet is just not relevant to them, saying they are not interested, do not want to use it, or have no need for it.
• 31% of non-internet users in rural areas cite reasons tied to their sense that the internet is not very easy to use. These non-users say it is difficult or frustrating to go online, they are physically unable, or they are worried about other issues such as spam, spyware, and hackers.
• 24% of non-internet users in rural areas cite the expense of owning a computer or paying for an internet connection.
• 10% of non-users in rural areas cite a physical lack of availability or access to the internet.
17% of rural residents do not use the internet -2
• 49% of rural non-internet users have asked a family member or friend to perform an online activity for them
• 15% of rural non-internet users live in a household with internet connection and other family members use it to go online
• 15% of rural non-internet users once used the internet but no longer do
• 1% of rural non-internet users would like to start using the internet
“Market shortcomings” librarians could address
1) Library non-users
% who have visited a library or bookmobile in
person in the past year
All Americans ages 16+ 53%
a Men (n=1,059) 48%
b Women (n=1,193) 59a
Age
a 16-17 (n=101) 62%de
b 18-29 (n=369) 57%e
c 30-49 (n=586) 59%de
d 50-64 (n=628) 51%e
e 65+ (n=531) 40%
Education attainment
a No high school diploma (n=254) 43%
b High school grad (n=610) 46%
c Some College (n=562) 58%ab
d College + (n=812) 63%ab
Parent of minor
a Parent (n=584) 64%b
b Non-parent (n=1,667) 49%
53%
59%
40%
58% 63%
64%
Answer the Marvin Gaye question
• 22% say that they know all or most of the services their libraries offer (22% of rural residents)
• 46% say they know some of what their libraries offer (45% of rural residents)
• 31% said they know not much or nothing at all of what their libraries offer (31% of rural residents)
1a) Library non-users who are willing to listen
53%
75% 76% 84%
91%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Used library last 12 months
Read a book in past 12 months
Library is important to
me/family
Ever visited library
Library is important to community
22% 23% 31% 38%
“Market shortcomings ”: Examples of librarians could address
1) Technology non-users - skills training in new literacies
2) Pre-school 3) After school 4) English as a Second Language issues 5) Lifelong learning opportunities / credentialing
competency 6) Fill gaps in local media ecosystem – community
and civic information/curation 7) Help for small business / entrepreneurs / non-
profits 8) Serendipity in discovery
6 reasons why can libraries do that
1) Libraries are appreciated
91% say libraries are important to their communities (90% of rural residents)
76% say libraries are important to them and their families (72% of rural residents)
Robert Dawson photography - Library Road Trip
http://www.robertdawson.com/pages/1/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/
Quick news flash: New preliminary data
• Having a public library improves the quality of life in a community
• Public libraries are important because they promote literacy and a love of reading
• Because it provides free access to materials and resources, the public library plays an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed
• Public libraries provide many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere
---- • Disagree: Public libraries have NOT done a good
job keeping up with new technologies
… more …
• Split verdict: People do NOT need public libraries as much as they used to because they can find most information on their own
34
2) Libraries stack up well vs. others How confident? How important?
63 28 Library to community
3) People like librarians
• 98% of “ever” library visitors say interactions are “very/mostly positive” (97% of rural residents)
• 81% of library visitors say librarians are “very helpful” (82% of rural residents)
• 50% of “last year” visitors got help from a librarian (48% of rural residents)
4) Libraries have rebranded themselves as tech hubs
80% of Americans say borrowing books is a “very important” service libraries provide (77% of rural residents)
80% say reference librarians are a “very important” service (81% of rural residents)
77% say free access to computers and the internet is a “very important” service (73% of rural residents)
76% say quiet study spaces are a “very important” service (73% of rural residents)
5) Reading is alive and well 75% of those ages 16 and older read a book in the previous year (73% of
rural residents), including 23% who read an e-book (15% of rural residents)
15 is the mean/average number of books read in past 12 months by book
readers (17 books for rural residents) and median/midpoint is 6 (7 for rural residents)
24 is mean/average for e-book readers (24 for rural e-book readers)
30% of e-content consumers who are reading more now because e-content
is available (29% of rural residents) 41% for tablet owners (43% for rural residents)
5% of those 16+ have borrowed an e-book from a library (4% of rural residents) – and they are book buyers, too!
6) Libraries have a mandate to intervene
Coordinate more closely with local schools in providing resources to kids
Offer free early literacy programs to help young children prepare for school
77%
77%
17%
19%
3%
3%
Should definitely do Maybe do Definitely NOT do
5th and final thing to figure out -- Where you fit on the dashboard
ALA’s “Confronting the Future”
Totally physical (facilities and media)
Individual focus
Collection library (physical and virtual)
Archive
Me: Everything for everyone
Totally virtual (facilities and media)
Community focus
Creation library (social, maker space)
Portal (or Platform)
Specialized niche
Be not afraid
Libraries.pewinternet.org Lee Rainie Email: lrainie@pewinternet.org Twitter: @Lrainie Kathryn Zickuhr Email: kzickuhr@pewinternet.org Twitter: @kzickuhr
Kristen Purcell Email: @kpurcell@pewinternet.org Twitter: @kristenpurcell