Public library engagement in urban, suburban, and rural communities
What does library engagement look like in different community types?
What does library engagement look like in different community types?
Some 77% of Americans now think it is “very important” for public libraries to provide free access to computers and the internet to the community. (For comparison, 80% of Americans say the same thing about books.)
Compare the library engagement of your library or group with the rest of the country using our new “community quiz” tool.
The New York Public Library recently announced that it is rethinking its controversial plans to turn parts of its 42nd Street location into a public lending library. Public libraries across the country are grappling with similar issues of how central their collections of books should be as they strive to add digital services, expand learning resources, and serve as all-purpose community spaces.
Highlights from our new report exploring the spectrum of Americans' engagement with public libraries.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently released the findings of its latest Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, conducted in July 2012. It found 58% of all American adults ages 18 and older had engaged in “voluntary reading” within the past year.
Some 70% of American adults ages 18 and older have broadband at home as of May 2013. Another 3% of adults go online at home via dial-up, and one in ten adults (10%) lacks home broadband but does own a smartphone.
We’ve published several new reports on teens (ages 12-17) and technology over the past few months, with lots of great findings based on our nationally representative surveys as well as insights from in-person focus groups.
Scientists delve deeper into the science behind print books' distinctive smell.
We just published a new report showing that half (50%) of parents with minor children living at home now own a tablet computer. How are parents are using devices such as tablets and smartphones with their children?