PLA Blog

The ALA Office for Research & Statistics and the Information Institute at Florida State University today published “Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2007-2008.”

The complete report is freely available online now at www.ala.org/plinternetfunding, and a copy of the bound report can be purchased at a minimal cost through the ALA Store.

Key findings include:
• Libraries reported double-digit growth in online services: audiobooks and podcasts (up 33 percent), video (up 32 percent), homework resources (up 15 percent), e-books (up 13.5 percent) and digitized special collections (up almost 13 percent);
• Funding data indicate libraries are relying more on non-tax funding sources;
• 66 percent of public libraries offer free wireless access, up about 12 percent over last year;
• Almost two-thirds of all public libraries provide 1.5Mbps or faster Internet access speeds, with a continuing disparity between urban (90 percent) and rural libraries (51.5 percent);
• 74 percent of libraries report their staff helps patrons understand and use e-government services, including enrolling in Medicare and applying for unemployment;
• 73.4 percent of libraries provide technology training to library patrons;
• Staffing levels are not keeping pace with patron demand — both for those staff who provide training and other direct patron services, as well as those who maintain the IT infrastructure;
• While the number of Internet computers available to the public climbed for the first time in several years, one in five libraries report there are consistently fewer computers than patrons who wish to use them throughout the day.

The study assesses public access to computers, the Internet and Internet-related services in U.S. public libraries, and the impact of library funding changes on connectivity, technology deployment and sustainability. The study builds on the longest-running and largest study of Internet connectivity in public libraries begun in 1994 by John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ALA, the report provides national and state-level data from more than 5,400 rural, suburban and urban libraries; information provided by 45 state library agencies; and feedback from focus groups and site visits in four states.

The ALA Public Information Office is reaching out to reporters and producers around the country to raise awareness of the study’s key findings.

On September 2, the ALA Office for Research and Statistics will release the 2007-2008 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study. One of the findings is that there has been significant growth in the online services being made available to the public.

In an effort to raise awareness of the study and draw attention to the wealth of resources public libraries are brokering for their communities to freely use online, the ALA plans to highlight this finding in its media materials.

“Licensed databases,” however, means little to people outside libraries and knowledge management. We’d like to highlight a handful of “fan favorites” – databases that get the most traffic and kudos from public library patrons – and “hidden gems” – databases that librarians love and want everyone to know about. Visit this link to participate in the survey. Based on emails from reference librarians (thanks, RUSA!), we’ve created a short menu of response options, but you can add your own in the “other” box.

Thanks in advance for helping us select a few favorites to share in future communications. If you have a memorable example of how one of your “premium Web sites” helped a library patron, we invite you to share that, as well. This survey will close Friday, August 22.