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The Future of Public Libraries in an Internet AgeWith the Internet reshaping so many aspects ofour lives, it has become common for prognosticatorsto speculate about the ultimate demise of all sorts ofinstitutions that many of us have come to take forgranted. So when Public Agenda set out to investi-gate public and civic leaders’ thinking about publiclibraries today, we were not at all certain what wewould hear.

The first message that came was loud and clear:there is a future for public libraries in the Internetage. Even with the vast and growing amount ofinformation available on the Internet and morecompetition for public funding, Americans say thatpublic libraries will continue to play a vital role incommunities. A strong majority say that if theirpublic library were to shut down, they would feel“that something essential and important has beenlost, affecting the whole community” (78 percent).The feeling that libraries are central to healthy com-munities is even more common among those whoare most actively engaged in communities: the vot-ers, volunteers, and contributors who make commu-nities strong and can usually be counted on to raisea ruckus when things go wrong.

In our recent report on the research, “LongOverdue: A Fresh Look at Public and LeadershipAttitudes About Libraries in the 21st Century,”Public Agenda documents the strong beliefs peoplehave that their communities must have well-functioning public libraries in order to be healthyand strong. Large majorities said that all childrenshould have a good, safe, appealing library in theirneighborhood; that libraries play a crucial role inpreserving permanent and unalterable records; and

that government should support the wiring oflibraries so that low-income people can have accessto the Internet.

Americans Say Libraries Are a Good PublicInvestment

At a time of broad concern about wasteful publicspending, and as we hear of communities refusing topay more taxes for public education or “essentialservices,” 71 percent say that libraries spend publicmoney well. Fifty-two percent say that if their locallibrary needed additional funding, they would favora tax increase to generate the necessary resources—significantly more than the number who favorcharging users (32 percent) or reducing services (16percent) as options for solving a financial shortfall.

In many ways, people believe that libraries are moreessential now than ever before. Americans say thatsince so many businesses are selling information, weabsolutely need public libraries to provide vitalinformation free of charge to anyone who needs it.They also strongly agree that libraries are an impor-tant, quiet oasis from fast-paced, stressful lives.

In an age when people are often deeply cynicalabout the performance of all sorts of public services,from public education to the police to cultural insti-tutions, public libraries are rated A more often thanany other public service we asked about. Indeed,public libraries seem almost immune to the distrustthat is associated with so many other institutions.

More than one hundred years ago, the philanthro-pist Andrew Carnegie saw the potential of the pub-lic library to be the center of enlightened learning in

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Nat ional Civ ic Review • DOI : 10.1002/ncr.153 • Winter 2006

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every community. He offered to build libraries ifcommunities would contribute land, furnish moneyfor annual maintenance, and exercise governanceand oversight. He gave communities the incentive toparticipate in a national movement and between1881 and 1917 invested the equivalent of $3 billionto build 1,689 libraries across the nation.

The result of Carnegie’s investment and the involve-ment of communities helped educate generations ofAmericans. His commitment helped fix the library inthe American consciousness as a significant publicinstitution that needed and deserved broad publicsupport. A century after this compact withAmerican communities, nearly 90 percent of libraryfunding derives from local public dollars—whichcan be seen as either a curse or a blessing.

Libraries for Today, Libraries for Tomorrow

When people think about their expectations oflibraries today, they generally think about the tradi-tional services that most libraries carry out so well.Topping the public’s list of priorities is that thebasic services they have come to expect fromlibraries remain free of charge to the public. Theyalso expect libraries to have enough current booksfor children; numerous reference materials; andfriendly, knowledgeable librarians available.Libraries should offer convenient reading hours andspecial programs for children, and they should havewell-maintained buildings along with books andinformation that are organized for easy self-service.The top-ten list of public priorities for libraries alsoincludes making available safe and productive gath-ering places for teenagers, being open on evenings

and weekends, and having plenty of current booksfor adults.

For the most part, these public expectations arematched by libraries’ performance, the public toldus. People give especially high grades to their publiclibraries for having buildings that are well main-tained; comfortable places to read; and enoughfriendly, knowledgeable librarians to supply helpwhen needed.

Although people clearly want libraries to ace thebasics—materials, hours, and service—they alsoexpect more and more from libraries in this age ofthe Internet. “Long Overdue” reveals a great dealabout libraries and technology. Libraries are any-thing but relics of the past. They are viewed as keyplayers in our digitized future. Two-thirds of surveyrespondents say that having enough computers andonline services for people should be a high priorityfor their local library. Seven in ten favor wiringlibraries so that those who might not be able toafford a computer in their home can learn computerskills and get online.

Those who think that libraries are merely becoming“information resources of last resort” for those whocan’t afford a home computer seem to be mistaken.Advanced computer users and families with higherincome are even more likely to use public librariesand the technology services they offer. But, not sur-prisingly, people with few computer skills are themost likely to say wiring libraries to provide for“have-nots” should be a high priority.

Where Is the Love?

Public libraries are beloved institutions, but theycan’t survive on accolades alone. With the advent ofcomputers and search engines, digital libraries, andthe Internet, some question if libraries are essentialand whether they should command priority in thecompetition for public dollars. Public Agenda’sresearch shows public libraries are not seen asobjects of nostalgia, but rather as essential commu-

National Civ ic Review DOI : 10.1002/ncr Winter 2006

There is a future for public libraries in the Internetage. Even with the vast and growing amount ofinformation available on the Internet and morecompetition for public funding, Americans saythat public libraries will continue to play a vitalrole in communities.

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nity players in the effort to increase equity, opportu-nity, and community development in the informa-tion age.

A growing number of communities are determinedto keep their libraries at the leading edge of technol-ogy: affording small businesses the resources tocompete globally; giving residents access to credible,current health information; and making librariesvital information access points for everyone. Thesecommunities reveal the vast potential of libraries forthe future.

But only a small percentage of communities invest inpublic libraries to the extent necessary to producemaximum dividends. In those communities wherethe case for libraries is less clear and competition forpublic funds is high, there are disturbing indicatorsthat support for libraries is slipping.

The precarious financial condition of the nationwidepublic library system (to the extent that there is acohesive system at all) that we heard about fromlibrary advocates was reinforced in our interviewswith civic leaders across the nation.

Civic leaders do see the great strengths of the publiclibrary as being an information center in the digitalage, an important resource for those who have thefewest resources available to them, and the “go to”place for all manner of public functions (includinghealth information, job services, immigrant accul-turation, and adult literacy training). But they alsosee challenges for libraries that need to be addressedby library supporters. Many civic leaders pointed topublic libraries’ seemingly infinite variety in gover-nance structure as a major stumbling block. Publiclibraries’ lack of marketing, impassive advocacy, andisolation from the community were also cited asshortcomings in library performance.

Our research identified four specific areas wherecivic leadership, public citizens, and library leadersall seem to agree that there is a major opportunity

for public libraries to step in and address communi-ty needs: (1) developing better programming andservices for teens, (2) addressing illiteracy and poorreading skills among adults, (3) offering ready accessto information about government services (includingmaking public documents and forms quickly andeasily available), and (4) permitting much greateraccess to computers for all.

Yet venturing into these areas would likely requirefinancial resources that many libraries do not cur-rently have. The civic leaders we spoke to ques-tioned whether a groundswell of citizen supportfor public libraries would emerge in their commu-nities. “Long Overdue” suggests that there is, infact, strong potential for vocal support fromactivist citizens who could argue effectively forconsistent and reliable financial support for publiclibraries. But library supporters, especially leaderswith governance responsibility, must take the stepsnecessary to harness this potential and make it areality.

Leveraging Public Goodwill for Financial Support

There are people in every community who makethings happen but don’t necessarily hold any officialpost. These are the folks we refer to in our researchreport as “community soldiers,” because no battlecan be won without them. The good news forlibraries is that these citizens—who nearly alwaysvote in local elections and involve themselves incommunity organizations and activities—are heavyusers and big fans of libraries.

But even though they may be considered championsof libraries, currently they are not very aware of thepotential financial vulnerability of their locallibraries. Although 45 percent of the civicallyengaged think their local government has not fur-nished enough money and assistance to the publiclibraries in their communities, 42 percent think theyhave, and 13 percent say they simply do not know.It appears that those citizens who can be counted onto rally to the cause if libraries are in financial peril

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are no more likely than the general population to beaware of the challenges facing libraries today.

Public lack of awareness of the financial challengeslibraries face aside, there are other reasons every-thing is not milk and honey in the land of libraries.Libraries face real challenges today. Only 35 percentof survey respondents say their local library gets anA when it comes to having convenient hours so peo-ple can use the services; only 28 percent givelibraries an A for offering access to catalogues anddatabases through the Internet; 26 percent give an Afor having enough computers and online services inthe library for the people who want to use them; andjust 24 percent give an A for making available read-ing hours, homework help, and study space for chil-dren and teenagers. These are services that thepublic rate among the highest priorities for libraries.Clearly there are opportunities to improve servicedelivery on the part of local libraries.

Library leaders would like to do much more in theway of customer service and innovative program-ming. But as our interviews with public leadersattest, finances are always a challenge. The civicleaders we interviewed generally share the public’shigh regard for libraries but are more conscious ofthe tenuous financial condition of many publiclibraries. Some public libraries are comfortable withthe funding they receive, but the vast majority arenot so well supported. Though the public remainslargely unaware of the fiscal pressures on librariestoday, civic and business leaders believe that publiclibraries are often first on the chopping block whenstate and local budgets are cut.

Recent history in Salinas, Calif., a community thatclosed almost all of its libraries (and is profiled inour study), points to the passion for libraries thatcan emerge when a funding crisis imperils a trea-sured institution. But since the vast majority of thepublic do not sense that their own libraries may beat risk, most people do not see a reason to raise theirvoice in concern. It is simply not something on their

radar screen today. The “canary in the coal mine”metaphor has a place here. Leaders have pricked uptheir ears to the distressed calls of the canary, but thepublic seems to hear only a sweet song and no hintof impending trouble.

Libraries: Essential Community Problem Solvers

To identify the most favorable potential opportuni-ties for libraries to strengthen public support, PublicAgenda asked the public about their priorities forurgent action in their communities and in whichareas they think government should be more effec-tive because current performance is relatively poor.Researchers explored the same terrain in the inter-views with national and local leadership.

Four areas of opportunity resonated most with thepublic and leaders alike:

• Providing stronger services for teens. The public isgreatly concerned about teenagers and feels (72percent) that offering safe and productive activitiesfor teens should be a high priority for their com-munities. This is also an area where the publicpotentially holds local government accountable,believing local government both can and should domore for teens. In the public’s reckoning, librariescan potentially fill the gap: three out of fourAmericans (74 percent) believe providing servicesfor teens should be a high priority for libraries.

• Helping address illiteracy and poor reading skillsamong adults. Another major opportunity forlibraries to fill community needs is with supply-ing literacy and reading programs for adults,which many civic leaders tied to strengtheningworkforce skills and economic development.Sixty-eight percent of the public said adult litera-cy programs should be a high priority for thecommunity, very few said it was something theircommunity was doing a very good job of provid-ing, and a large majority (68 percent) said itshould be a high priority for their local library.

• Affording ready access to information about gov-ernment services, such as making available gov-

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ernment forms or information on literacy pro-grams.

• Ensuring even greater access to computers for all.Almost two-thirds of Americans say havingenough computers and online services for thepeople who want to use them should be a highpriority for libraries.

For public libraries today, the greatest challenge isnot in convincing the public of their worth—in thepresent or for the future. People clearly see manyvaluable roles for libraries to play. Our researchyields ample evidence that libraries are highly valuedpublic institutions serving multiple needs that, thepublic notes, will certainly continue to be neededwith changing times.

A Time of Reckoning

America’s public libraries are facing a pivotal time intheir history. There is a rich tradition of public ser-vice that infuses citizens with great respect for themission of libraries. Libraries have received signifi-cant public and private financial support over theyears, ranging from local property tax support tostate budget funding and a high level of private phil-anthropic funding. But funding level and mecha-nisms vary tremendously from one community tothe next—and that’s part of the problem.

During the past several decades, there has been amajor effort to upgrade technology and Internetaccess to bring the benefits of these new technologiesto all citizens, regardless of economic circumstances.This has added further to public approval of the all-important contributions of libraries. Of course,

libraries have also long held a position of specialimportance in educating schoolchildren and olderstudents.

The kind of action required for libraries to positionthemselves securely in the future will demand activeand engaged governance. When change happens incommunities, it is often a product of the passion ofengaged citizen leaders who demand change fromelected officials. But our research into a variety oflibrary environments would suggest that librariesmay suffer in some cases from a kind of “benignneglect” on the part of those who are most civicallyengaged. The reasoning here may be a variation onthe theme that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Although the public’s strong feelings about how welllibraries are doing their job make clear that librariesaren’t broken, this doesn’t mean there aren’t cracksin the foundation. Those who are most passionateabout the importance of libraries in communities, ifthey are to secure their future, must make certainthat the local and state governance structures thatdetermine funding understand all that libraries areable to do for citizens and just how successful theirconstituents perceive them to be.

Reference“Long Overdue: A Fresh Look at Public and LeadershipAttitudes About Libraries in the 21st Century.” New York:Public Agenda, 2006.

Ruth A. Wooden is president of Public Agenda.

For bulk reprints of this article, please call (201) 748-8789.

National Civ ic Review DOI : 10.1002/ncr Winter 2006