libraries solve problems lee rainie – director pew internet project computers in libraries april...

Libraries solve problems

Lee Rainie – Director Pew Internet ProjectComputers in LibrariesApril 7, 2008

April 7, 2008 2Libraries solve problems

Who’s blogging this?

Writings of a Loud Librarian – October 31, 2005

Indiana Librarian Marissa Priddis

http://theloudlibrarian.net/2005/10/monterey-learning-stuff.html

http://theloudlibrarian.net/2005/10/monterey-learning-stuff.html


“Rainie was funny, at ease, informative and we found

ourselves do a lot of ‘Huh...I didn't know that’ during his speech.

Very, very cool.”


“Good crisp presentation … backed with some actual research and drawing out the implications for educators, a list of which should be posted on the wall of

every school ….”


“He’s a lot older than I imagined.”--------------------

“Looks like a typical Foundation suit.”


“While he may look older than some expected, and appears to be just

another Foundation suit, he's a very intelligent man, and worth paying

attention to.”


Beth Carpenter

“Hey, Rainie, this is for you: "A fast-paced, informative session from a knowledgeable and entertaining

speaker! I feel like this was just the tip of the iceberg, like there's so much

more we could learn from Mr. Rainie if we only had more time…." :) ”


Most important finding of the project

!

A quick status report on Pew Internet data about

the new information ecosystem

Information ecology: Then and Now…

Industrial Age

Info was:

Scarce

Expensive

Institutionally oriented

Information Age

Info is:

Abundant

Cheap

Personally oriented

2000

46% of adults use internet

5% with broadband at home

50% own a cell phone

0% connect to internet wirelessly

= slow and stationery connections

2008

75% of adults use internet

54% with broadband at home

78% own a cell phone

62% connect to internet wirelessly

= fast and mobile connections

Internet then and now


Media ecology – thenProduct Route to home Display Local storage

TV stations phone TV Cassette/ 8-track

broadcast TV radio

broadcast radio stereo Vinyl album

News mail

Advertising newspaper delivery phone

paper

Radio Stations non-electronic

Tom Wolzien, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co


Media ecology – nowProduct Route to home Display Local storage

cable TiVo (PVR) VCRTV stations DSL TVInfo wireless/phone radio DVD“Daily me” broadcast TV PC Web-based storage content iPod /MP3server/ TiVo (PVR)Cable Nets broadcast radio stereo PCWeb sites satellite monitor web storageLocal news mail headphones CD/CD-ROMContent from express delivery pager individuals iPod / storage portable gamer MP3 player / iPodPeer-to-peer subcarriers / WIFI cell phone pagers - PDAsAdvertising newspaper delivery phone cable boxRadio stations camcorder/camera PDA/Palm game console

game console paperSatellite radio non-electronic storage sticks/disks

Adapted from Tom Wolzien, Sanford C. Bernstein & Co


62% of young adult internet users have uploaded photos to the internet

----

34% of all users have done this

Content creation


58% of online teens have created their own profile on a social network site like MySpace or Facebook

----33% of online adults

have such profiles

Content creation


39% of online teens share their own creations online, such as artwork, photos, stories, or videos

----21% of online adults

have done this

Content creation


26% of young adults have created or worked on webpages or blogs for others, including those for groups they belong to, friends or school assignments

----13% of online adults do

this

Content creation


33% of college students keep blogs and regularly post

54% read blogs----12% of online adults

have a blog35% read them

Content creation


28% of young adult internet users have uploaded videos to the web

----

14% of all adult internet users have done this

Content creation


26% of online teens report keeping their own personal webpage

----

14% of online adults have their own page

Content creation


Content creation

20% of online young adults say they remix content they find online into their own artistic creations

----

11% of online adults have done this


19% of online young adults have created an avatar that interacts with others online

----6% of all adult

internet users have done this

Content creation

New research on libraries in this information ecosystem

1) Patronage patterns

2) Problem-solving capacities


Background of research

• Institute for Museum and Library Services grant

• UIC partnership• Government

Printing Office query

http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/231/report_display.asp




Basic question

• How do people get information to help them solve problems that could have a government connection or be aided by government resources?– Not a look at general-interest

information searches

Problem – 1 (… in the past two years) Yes

Dealt with a serious illness or other health condition, either yourself or someone close to you

45%

Made a decision about schooling, paying for education, or getting training for yourself or for a child

39

Needed information about property taxes or income taxes

34

Changed jobs, retired, or started your own business

25

Needed information about Medicare / Medicaid / food stamps

23

Problem – 2 (… in the past two years) Yes

Needed information about Social Security / military benefits

20%

Wanted information about voter registration or a government action, program, or policy 19

Look for help from local government with a problem like traffic or schools

15

Involved in a criminal matter, a lawsuit, or other legal action

10

Became a citizen / helped someone with immigration

5

79.5% had experienced at least one problem

=Approx. 169 million adults

and that is the target population for this

research


Focus on special population

• Particular attention was paid to those in with “low access”

• <$40,000, non-internet users, or dial-up access at home

– High access = 64%– Low access = 36%

• 13% dial-up• 23% no access


Concentrate on special information hubs

• What is the role in such searches that is played by libraries and government agencies?


Survey logistics

• Fielded June 27–Sept 4, 2007

• 2,796 completed interviews – over-sample of 733 low-access respondents

• Margin of error 3 percentage points

• Response rate 27.1%



2) Problem-solving capacities


Visited library in the past year

53% of American adults

Gen.

(ages)

Gen Y

(18-30)

Gen X

(31-42)

Trailing

Boomers

(43-52)

Leading

Boomers

(53-61)

Matures

(62-71)

After Work

(72+)

% who visited a public library

62% 59% 57% 46% 42% 32%


Shhhhhhhhhh - brand new teens data

• 60% of online teens use the internet at libraries – up from 36% in 2000


Public library patrons are more likely to be …

• Those with higher income

– Household >$60,000 = 61%

– Household <$40,000 = 48%


• Those with high educational attainment

– College grad = 68%

– High school diploma or dropout = 42%



• Those who are internet users

– Internet user = 61%

– Non-user = 28%



• High access (broadband in their lives)

– High access = 62%

– Low access = 38%



• Parents with children living at home

– Parent = 63%

– No minor child = 48%



• No significant differences by race and ethnicity

– Whites = 53%

– Blacks = 53%

– English-speaking Hispanics = 53%





2) Problem-solving capacities (mixed results)


What sources did you use for most recent problem?

• 58% of those who had recently experienced one of those problems said they used the internet to get help (not including secondary internet users)

• 53% said they turned to professionals such as doctors, lawyers or financial experts

• 45% turned to friends and family members


What sources did you use …? (2)

• 36% consulted newspapers, magazines, books

• 34% directly contacted a government office or agency

• 16% consult television and radio

• 13% went to the public library

• 11% used another source not mentioned in survey


Who turns to libraries for problem solving

• Young adults (18-29) = 21%

• Oldest (over 70) = 15%

• Blacks = 26%

• Latinos = 22%

• Lower income (HH <$40,000) = 17%


Most popular problem-solving searches at libraries

• Made a decision about schooling, paying for education, or getting training for yourself or for a child

• Jobs• Serious illness• Taxes• Medicare / Medicaid / food stamps

Problem

Health Education TaxesMedicare/Medicaid

Change job status

Social Security

Source of info.

Internet 46% 77% 60% 45% 66% 41%

Professionals 83% 40% 48% 43% 27% 38%

Family or Friends 51% 50% 26% 28% 58% 31%

Print sources 37% 38% 32% 33% 43% 27%

Government Agency 15% 27% 56% 60% 27% 71%

TV or Radio 16% 15% 21% 14% 14% 14%

Library 10% 20% 10% 10% 11% 7%


Once they are at the library, they are active AND happy

• 69% got help from library staff• 68% used computers – 38% got

one-on-one instruction• 58% sought reference materials• 42% used newspapers and

magazines

Search success in problem solving

Very Successful A lot of information

Government agency 65% 49%

Public library 64% 36%

Internet 63% 55%

Professionals / experts

61% NA

Newspapers, mags, books

57% NA

Family and friends 56% NA

TV and radio 55% NA


Future intentions on library visits

• 29% said they likely would go to libraries– Less well off – 40% (under $40,000)– Gen Y – 41%– Less educated – 41%– Latinos – 42%– Blacks – 48%

–Regular library patrons – 68%


Privacy concerns

• About a fifth of Americans with problems to address said they were concerned about privacy disclosures as they hunted for information. These concerns influenced the method they ultimately chose for gathering information, and they were somewhat more pronounced for the low-access group.


Takeaways and Implications -1

• Public education efforts about what you do, how you do it AND HOW YOU HAVE CHANGED could pay off. – Focus on success stories and competence

• The people who know you best are the ones who keep coming back.

53% “market share” isn’t bad, but there are lots of opportunities out there.


• This is the era of consumer evangelists and you have an abundance of them. Many of them are the influentials of your community

• Give them Web 2.0 tools and, if necessary, training, to evangelize and shape conversations. about your programs and collections.

• Get their feedback!

Takeaways and Implications - 2

Your patrons are happy and some are zealous advocates.


Takeaways and Implications – 3

• The people who might be more dependent on libraries for help are aware of what you offer and your special skills.

• The keys for their patronage: – Awareness of your work– Comfort in your environment– Mentoring skills

Your “un-patrons” are primed to seek you out.


• Social networks are for learning.• Social networks are for news and navigation. • Social networks are for support and problem-

solving.


Aspire to be a node in people’s social networks.

• Graphic literacy – the language of the screen.• Navigation – the transition to non-linear format.• Context – the importance of seeing connections.• Focus – the value of reflection.• Skepticism – the capacity to evaluate• Ethical behavior – living responsibly• Personal literacy – understanding digital footprints


Offer your expertise in new literacies.

-- librarian blogger Pam Berger


Thank you!

Lee Rainie

Director

Pew Internet & American Life Project

1615 L Street NW

Suite 700

Washington, DC 20036

[email protected]

202-419-4500

libraries solve problems lee rainie – director pew internet project computers in libraries april...

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