Download - Imls Conclusions Overview022708
Interconnections: The IMLS National Study on the Use of Libraries,
Museums and the Internet
José-Marie Griffiths, Dean and ProfessorDonald W. King, Distinguished Research Professor
School of Information and Library ScienceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Overview
• Conduct national survey of information needs of users and potential users of online information
• Primary focus on museums, public libraries and the Internet as sources
• Telephone surveys of adults (18 and over)
Surveys
The Power of Trust
Conclusion 1: Libraries and museums evoke
consistent, extraordinary public trust among diverse adult users.
Libraries and museums are the most trusted sources of information according to a survey of over 1,700 adults.
The Internet Does Not Kill Libraries and Museums
Conclusion #2: Internet use is positively related to in-person visits to museums and
libraries.
Adults Who Use the Internet are More Likely to Visit Libraries and Museums
66.4%
38.3%
73.3%
66.7%
47.4%
71.0%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Proportion of Adult Visitors
Museums
PublicLibraries
Proportion of Public Library and Museum Visitors Who Use or Do Not Use the Internet
Internet usersNon-users of the InternetAll adults
Adults Who Use the Internet Visit Libraries and Museums More Often
3.14
1.34
3.46
3.42
3.36
3.44
1 2 3 4 5
Number of visits per adult
Museums
PublicLibraries
Average Number of Public Library and Museum Visits by Those Who Use and Do Not Use the Internet
Internet usersNon-users of the InternetAll adults
Amount of use of the Internet is positively correlated with the number of in-person visits to museums and has a positive effect on in-person visits to public libraries.
Trends in increased in-person visits to museums and public libraries are much more positive with adults who use the Internet than with those who do not.
Total Number of Visits to Museums by Adults, 2006
In-Person Visits 701 millionRemote Online Visits 542 million
Total Visits 1.2 billion
Total Number of Visits to Public Libraries by Adults, 2006
In-Person Visits 762 millionRemote Online Visits 558 million
Total Visits 1.3 billion
The number of remote online visits is positively correlated with the number of in-person visits to museums and public libraries.
Q. Why do we need museums and libraries if we have the Internet?A.Interconnections
Conclusion #3: Museums and public libraries
in-person and online serve important and complementary roles
in supporting a wide variety of information needs.
To fulfill their need for information, most adults use museums, public libraries, and the Internet. Museums and public libraries are used by 70%, the Internet is used by 83%, and nearly half (47%) use all three. Only 7% of adults do not use any of the three sources.
The vast majority of visitors to museums (95%) and public libraries (96%) visit in-person; 45% of museum visitors visit online and in-person and 42% of public library visitors visit online and in-person.
Interconnections
Both in-person and remote visits to museums are learning experiences with adults indicating they learned something new in 87% of in-person visits and 86% of remote visits. Children were helped with learning more in 8% of in-person visits and 5% of remote visits.
8.4%
37.2%
59.9%
75.8%
86.6%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Proportion of In-Person Visits
Helped child learn more
New way of thinking
Learned about a specific topic
Encouraged further learning
Learned something new
Proportion of In-Person Visits to Museums by How They Learned
5.2%
29%
65.6%
81.2%
85.5%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Proportion of Remote Visits
Helped child learn more
New way of thinking
Learned about a specific topic
Encouraged further learning
Learned something new
Proportion of Remote Visits to Museums by How They Learned
The different modes of access to public libraries tend to address very different distributions of information needs. Online visits (both remote and in- library) are used much more for formal education and work-related needs than other in-person visits which are used much more for recreation or entertainment purposes.
Personal or family needs
25%
Recreation or entertainment
14%
Formal education
needs43%
Work-related needs18%
Most Important Purpose for Online (Remoteand in-library) Visits
Recreation or entertainment
47%
Work-related needs
6%
Formal education
needs26%
Personal or family needs
21%
Most Important Purpose for In-person Visits (not workstation use)
Most Important Purpose for All Visits
Personal or family needs
23%
Recreation or entertainment
30%
Work-related needs12%
Formal education
needs35%
José-Marie Griffiths, PhD Dean and Professor Donald W. King
Distinguished Research Professor
• School of Information and Library Science University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Email: [email protected], [email protected]• phone: (919)962-8366
fax: (919)962-8071 • Mail:
School of Information and Library Science University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #3360100 Manning Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3360