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

2

“Tweckle (twek’ul) vt. To abuse a speaker to

Twitter followers in the audience while he/she is

speaking.”

3

4

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: lrainie@pewinternet.org Twitter: @Lrainie

Kathryn ZickuhrEmail: kzickuhr@pewinternet.orgTwitter: @kzickuhr

Kristen PurcellEmail: @kpurcell@pewinternet.orgTwitter: @kristenpurcell