books, libraries, and the changing digital landscape

Books, libraries, and the changing digital landscape

Kathryn Zickuhr Research Associate

November 12, 2013 University of Chicago, Cultural Policy Center

@kzickuhr | @pewinternet | @pewresearch

November 12, 2013 2 www.pewinternet.org

About the Pew Research Center

•  Non-partisan “fact tank” in Washington, DC, made up of seven projects

•  Does not promote specific technologies or make

policy recommendations More: pewresearch.org

@pewresearch @pewinternet

Three phases: I.  State of reading

II.  Library services

III.  Typology

Three-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study the changing role of public libraries in the digital age

About our libraries research


Quantitative: Phone surveys •  Landlines and cell phones •  English and Spanish •  Americans ages 16 & older •  Nationally representative

About our libraries research

Qualitative: Online questionnaires and in-person focus groups

More: libraries.pewinternet.org

% of adults ages 18+ who go online, 1995-present

Internet use over time

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

50% (2000)

14% (1995)

85%(2013)


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012

TV Radio Newspaper Online Any Digital News

Daily news sources % of respondents who got news “yesterday” from each platform

November 12, 2013 7 stateofthemedia.org

Adults’ gadget ownership (18+)

•  91% of adults have a cell phone

•  61% have a laptop computer

•  58% have a desktop computer

•  55% have a smartphone

•  34% have a tablet computer

•  24% have an e-reader


Tablets & e-readers by age group

24% 24%

30%

22% 18%

46%

37%

44%

31%

18%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

16-17* 18-29 30-49 50-64 65+

E-readers Tablets

Source: Pew Internet September 2013 survey.

More: stateofthemedia.org


E-reading is on the rise

72%

16%

67%

23%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Print books E-books

2011

2012

% of all 16+ who read a book in each format in the past year

Source: Pew Internet December 2011 / November 2012 surveys.

94% 91% 85%

90% 91%

28% 31%

41%

23% 20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

16-17 18-29 30-49 50-64 65+

Print E-books

Among readers, the % in each age group who read a book in print or an e-book in the past year (2012)

Book reading by age group

Source: Pew Internet November 2012 survey.

Why Americans read % in each age group who read any type of material (including books, magazines, journals, newspapers, & online content) for the following reasons:

Source: Pew Internet December 2011 survey. libraries.pewinternet.org

81% 76% 73%

81%

49%

81% 79% 73%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

For work or school For pleasure To keep up with current events

To research topics of interest

Ages 16-29 Ages 30+

E-books beyond e-readers

Among people who read e-books, the % in each age group who read their e-books on the following devices (2011)

41%

55%

23%

16%

25%

38%

46%

26%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Cell phone Desktop or laptop E-reader Tablet

Ages 16-29 30 and older


Which is better for these purposes, a

printed book or an e-book? Among those 16+ who read both a print book & an e-book in the past year (2011)

81%

69%

43% 35%

19% 13% 9%

25%

45% 53%

73%

83%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Reading with a child

Sharing with others

Reading in bed

Having a wide

selection

Reading while

traveling

Get books quickly

Print E-books


Books & browsing still central

Among those who visited a library in-person in the past year, the % who did the following activities

31%

50%

54%

73%

73%

Read magazines/newspapers

Get help from a librarian

Research topics of interest

Browse the stacks

Borrow books

AT THE LIBRARY

Source: Pew Internet November 2012 survey. Data is for library visitors ages 16+.

What Americans say it is important for libraries to offer

49

63

67

73

74

76

77

80

80

36

30

22

20

21

19

18

15

16

0 20 40 60 80 100

Free public meeting spaces

Free events/activities

Job/career resources

Research resources like databases

Programs for children & teens

Quiet study spaces

Free access to computers/internet

Borrowing books

Librarians to help people find info

Very important Somewhat important

“Our customers are still using the library but in different ways. They browse our catalog online, place reserves on the items they want, then pick them up at their location of choice… Fewer browse the collection in person.”

– Library staff member


16%

17%

26%

40%

46%

Borrow a music CD

Borrow an audio book

Use computer or internet

Borrow a DVD

Use a research database

AT THE LIBRARY

Technology & media use at the library



E-reading is on the rise Borrowing is just getting started

23% of Americans read an e-book in 2012, up from 16% in 2011

5% of recent library users have borrowed an e-book in past year, as of late 2012

“We spend a significant part of our day explaining how to get library books onto e-book readers.”

– Library staff member


62% of Americans say they do not know if their library lends out e-books. This includes 58% of library card holders.

? ? ? Source: Pew Internet November 2012 survey.


49

63

67

73

74

76

77

80

80

36

30

22

20

21

19

18

15

16

0 20 40 60 80 100






Quiet study spaces


Borrowing books



21%

23%

41%

49%

Attend a class/lecture for adults

Attend a meeting of a group

Event for children/teens

Sit, read, and study, etc

AT THE LIBRARY

Libraries as community spaces




49

63

67

73

74

76

77

80

80

36

30

22

20

21

19

18

15

16

0 20 40 60 80 100






Quiet study spaces


Borrowing books



Summary: How Americans use libraries

56% of Americans 16+ used a library in the past year •  53% visited in person •  25% used website Books, browsing, librarians are still central, both in how

people use libraries and in their conception of libraries …but technology is also a common use and a high priority More: libraries.pewinternet.org

Source: Pew Internet November 2012 survey.

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

Classes on e-readers

Digital media lab

Pre-loaded e-readers

Classes on borrowing e-books

Personalized accounts

Library kiosks in community

Cell GPS app

Tech try-out program

Library app

"Ask a librarian" online service

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

How likely would you be to use…

Should libraries…

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

Move stacks out of public locations

Make MOST services automated

Move MOST library services online

Help users digitize own materials

More interactive learning experiences

Offer more e-books

Have more comfortable spaces

Separate spaces for different services

Free literacy programs

Coordinate more with schools

Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do

What do Americans want?

More activities, events for children & teens, separate spaces

…and print books, quiet

Convenience (apps, e-books, kiosks)

… and closer relationships with librarians


Now what?

Fewer traditional touchpoints •  E-books and online services •  Search engines for “short answer” questions •  Awareness of services


Now what?

Fewer traditional touchpoints •  E-books and online services •  Search engines for “short answer” questions •  Awareness of services

Convenience and connection •  Social media, email, apps, websites •  Personalized services, recommendations •  “Digital literacies” beyond the classroom


Libraries’ evolving roles

Providing access to information – and guidance:

Access to tools (computers, internet)

Access to information resources (books, media, databases)

How to use tools

How to find & verify information






How to use tools



71% of teens with home computer access say the laptop or desktop they use most often is one they share with other family members.






How to use tools



The sources students are “very likely” to use in a typical research assignment*:

•  Google / search engine (94%) •  Wikipedia (75%) •  YouTube / social media (52%) •  Their peers (42%) •  Spark Notes, Cliff Notes (41%) •  News sites of major news organizations (25%) •  Print or electronic textbooks (18%) •  Online databases such as EBSCO, JSTOR (17%) •  A research librarian at school or public library (16%) •  Printed books other than textbooks (12%) •  Student-oriented search engines like Sweet Search (10%)

* According to middle and high school AP & NWP teachers





How to use tools







How to use tools


•  More complicated research queries

•  Databases / “beyond search engines”

•  New literacies

•  All types of information



“[Our strength is] connecting the community with technology and knowledge.”

“A warm, welcoming and friendly space is hard to find these days”

More: bit.ly/libthoughts November 12, 2013 42 www.pewinternet.org

Thank you! Kathryn Zickuhr Research Associate [email protected]

Pew Research Center pewresearch.org pewresearch.org/internet

November 12, 2013 University of Chicago, Cultural Policy Center

@kzickuhr | @pewinternet | @pewresearch

books, libraries, and the changing digital landscape

Education

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library visitors ages

internet use

libraries research

past year

library services

ebook readers