Greatest Hits from Pew Internet’s Library Research

Lee Rainie - @lrainie

Director

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-reading Late 2011: 16% of American adults read an e-book in past year

Late 2012: 23%

---

Late 2011: 72% read a printed book

Late 2012: 67%

---

30% of e-content readers say they are reading more now

Rise of e-reading devices

4%

12% 10%

19%

26%

3%

8% 10%

25%

31%

6%

17% 18%

33%

40%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

May-10 May-11 Dec-11 Nov-12 Jan-13

Ebook reader Tablet Has either tablet or Ebook reader

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

29%

46%

93%

81%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

On a cell phone*

On a desktop or laptop*

On an e-reader* On a tablet*

* = among people who own that device

How many books Americans read Among 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 of books 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

Reading on a “typical day” (among book readers)

57%

39%

49%

39% 38%

48%

53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

16-17 (n=129)

18-24 (n=264)

25-29 (n=152)

30-39 (n=377)

40-49 (n=379)

50-64 (n=668)

65+ (n=473)

Used library in past year

72%

58% 54%

57% 59% 56%

49%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

16-17 (n=144)

18-24 (n=298)

25-29 (n=186)

30-39 (n=434)

40-49 (n=449)

50-64 (n=804)

65+ (n=622)

Got help from a librarian (among library users)

43%

27%

19% 17%

21% 21%

11%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

16-17 (n=144)

18-24 (n=298)

25-29 (n=186)

30-39 (n=434)

40-49 (n=449)

50-64 (n=804)

65+ (n=622)

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

56%

52%

18%

39%

46%

80%

5%

3%

3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

The library did not carry it

There was a waiting list

It was not compatible

with your e-reader

Yes No Don’t know

Open to library coaching/tech support

32% 32%

46% 51%

57% 58%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Classes or instruction on how to use handheld reading devices like e-readers &

tablet computers

Classes on how to download library e-books to handheld

devices

E-book readers already loaded with the book you

want to read

2011 2012

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 Trip http://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

23

26

26

28

29

33

34

35

35

37

28

32

32

29

35

30

28

34

28

36

48

40

39

41

34

35

36

29

35

26

0 20 40 60 80 100

Instruction on how to use e-book reading devices

Digital media lab to create/upload new content like movies or e-books

E-book readers loaded books you want to read

Classes on how to download library e-books

Personalized accounts that give book recommendations

Library kiosks in community to check out books, movies

Cell GPS app that helps locate material inside library

Program to try out new tech devices/apps

Cell app to use/view library services

An online research service ("ask a librarian")

Very likely Somewhat likely Not too likely or not at all likely

Mega Takeaway 3 (corollary): African-Americans and Latinos are esp. enthusiastic

29% 28% 28% 19%

29%

57% 56% 51% 50% 46% 43%

57% 58% 49% 43%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Cell app that allows you to use library services

An online research service where you could ask

questions of librarians

Program that allowed people to try out new tech

devices/apps

Classes on how to download library e-books

Kiosks/“redboxes” throughout community to check out books/movies

Whites Blacks Hispanics

19% 20% 28%

18% 23%

45% 43% 43% 38% 38% 44% 42% 55%

37% 41%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Media lab to create/upload new digital content like

movies, your e-books

E-book readers loaded books you want to

read

Cell GPS app that helps you locate material

inside library

Instruction on how to use e-book reading

devices

Customized online recommendations based on your past

library activity

Mega Takeaway 4: The public invites you to be more engaged in knotty problems

20

41

42

43

47

53

59

61

82

85

39

36

34

39

38

30

28

27

14

11

36

20

19

14

12

5

9

9

3

2

0 20 40 60 80 100

Move some books/stacks out of public locations

Make most services automated

Move most library services online

Help users digitize material

Offer more interactive learning experiences

Offer more e-books

Have more comfortable spaces

Separate spaces for different services

Free literacy programs

Coordinate more with local schools

Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do

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

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%

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.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