Lee Rainie, the Director of the Pew Internet Project, will present the Project's latest findings about the changing role of libraries and patrons' interest in new services. He will also describe Project research into the way people use mobile devices and social media.

1. Reinventing of Libraries
The keys to the future in 7 questions
Lee Rainie - @lrainie
Director
Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
Presented to: Massachusetts Library System
June 13, 2013

2. “Tell the truth, and trust the people”
-- Joseph N. Pew, Jr.
http://bit.ly/dUvWe3
http://bit.ly/100qMub

3. The big questions
1. What’s the future of knowledge?
2. What’s the future of reference
expertise?
3. What’s the future of public technology?
4. What’s the future of learning spaces?
5. What’s the future of community anchor
institutions?
6. What’s the franchise?

4. Q7: Where do we fit on the dashboard?
ALA’s “Confronting the Future”
Totally physical
(facilities and media)
Individual focus
Collection library
(physical and virtual)
Portal
Everything for
everyone
Totally virtual
(facilities and media)
Community focus
Creation library
(social, maker space)
Archive
Specialized niche

5. 5 big reasons your foundation is solid

6. 1) Libraries are appreciated
91% say libraries are
important to their
communities
76% say libraries are
important to them and
their families
Robert Dawson photography - Library Road Trip
http://www.robertdawson.com/pages/1/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons/Public%20Library%3a%20An%20American%20Commons
/

7. 7
2) Libraries stack up well vs. others
How confident? How important?
63 28
Library to community

8. 3) People like librarians
• 98% of “ever” library visitors say interactions are “very positive”
• 81% of library visitors say librarians are “very helpful”
• 50% of “last year” visitors got help from a librarian

9. 4) Libraries have rebranded
themselves as tech hubs
80% of Americans say
borrowing books is a
“very important” service
libraries provide
80% say reference librarians
are a “very important”
service
77% say free access to
computers and the
internet is a “very
important” service
76% say quiet study spaces
are a “very important”
service

10. Sidebar on tech adoption
Broadband (68%)/ Internet (85%)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
June
2000
April
2001
March
2002
March
2003
April
2004
March
2005
March
2006
March
2007
April
2008
April
2009
May
2010
Aug
2011
Dec
2012
Broadband
at home
Dial-up
at home
68%
3%

11. Sidebar on tech adoption
Mobile – 91% … smartphone 56% … tablets 34%
326.4
Total U.S.
population:
319 million
2012

12. 9%
49%
67%
76%
86% 87% 92%
7%
8%
25%
48%
61%
68% 73%
6%
4%
11%
25%
47%
49% 57%
1%
7%
13%
26%
29%
38%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
18-29 30-49 50-64 65+
Sidebar on tech adoption
Social networking – 61% of all adults
72% of internet users

13. SNS Users
Which groups are most likely?
• Internet users under 50
• 18-29 most likely of any demographic
cohort (83%)
• Women
• Urban more likely than rural

14. Facebook Users
• Facebook remains the
most-used SNS platform –
two-thirds of online adults
are Facebook users (67%)
Which groups are most likely?
• Women
• Those under 50, especially 18-29

15. Twitter Users
• 16% of internet users
are on Twitter
this has doubled since Nov. 2010
Which groups are most likely?
• Those under 50, especially 18-29
• African-Americans are more likely
than whites
• Urban-dwellers

16. Pinterest Users
• 15% of internet users
are on Pinterest
Which groups are most likely?
• Whites
• Under 50 – 18-29 do not stand out
• Well-educated
• Higher Income
• Women - 5x more likely than men

17. Instagram Users
• 13% of internet users are
on Instagram
Which groups are most likely?
• Women
• Those under 50, especially 18-29
• African-Americans and Hispanics
more likely than whites
• Urban-dwellers

18. Tumblr Users
• Just 6% of internet users
are on Tumblr
Which groups are most likely?
• Those 18-29 (13%)

19. 5) Reading is alive and well
75% of those ages 16 and older read a book in the previous
year, including 23% who read an e-book
15 is the mean/average number of books read in past 12
months and median/midpoint is 6
24 is mean/average for e-book readers
30% of e-content consumers who are reading more now
because e-content is available 41% for tablet owners
5% of those 16+ have borrowed an e-book from a library – and
they are book buyers, too!

20. 1 big PR problem that is not hard to fix

21. Answer the Marvin Gaye question
• 22% say that they know all or most of the services
their libraries offer
• 46% say they know some of what their libraries offer
• 31% said they know not much or nothing at all of
what their libraries offer

22. How to fix: Go to already-affectionate publics
53%
75% 76%
84%
91%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Used library last
12 months
Read a book in
past 12 months
Library is
important to
me/family
Ever visited
library
Library is
important to
community
22% 23%
31% 38%

23. What they want you to do

24. 82%
85%
14%
11%
3%
2%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do
Coordinate more closely with local schools in
providing resources to kids
Offer free early literacy programs to help
young children prepare for school

25. 53%
59%
61%
30%
28%
27%
5%
9%
9%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do
More comfortable spaces for reading, working, relaxing
Offer a broader selection of e-books
Separate spaces for different services

26. 41%
42%
43%
47%
36%
34%
39%
38%
20%
19%
14%
12%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do
Offer more interactive learning experiences similar to museums
Help users digitize material such as family photos / historical documents
Move most library services online so users can access them
without having to visit library
Make most services automated, so people can find what they need and
check out material on their own without help from staff

27. 20% 39% 36%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do
Move some print books and stacks out of
public locations to free up more space for
things such as tech centers, reading rooms,
meetings rooms, and cultural events

28. What they say they’d use

29. 33%
34%
35%
35%
37%
30%
28%
34%
28%
36%
35%
36%
29%
35%
26%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very likely Somewhat likely Not too likely or not at all likely
Cell app to use to access library services
A tech “petting zoo” to try out new stuff
Cell GPS app to navigate library
Online research service – “ask a librarian”
Kiosks (“Redbox”) around town for lib. checkouts

30. 23%
26%
26%
28%
29%
28%
32%
32%
29%
35%
48%
40%
39%
41%
34%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very likely Somewhat likely Not too likely or not at all likely
Pre-loaded e-book readers
Classes on how to download e-books
Personalize, Amazon-style recommendations
Digital media lab to digitize personal material
Instruction on how to use e-reading devices

31. Be not
afraid

32. Libraries.pewinternet.org
Lee Rainie
Email: lrainie@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @Lrainie
Kathryn Zickuhr
Email: kzickuhr@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @kzickuhr
Kristen Purcell
Email: @kpurcell@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @kristenpurcell

33. Further thoughts on the big questions

34. Q1: What is the future of
knowledge?
• How is it created?
• What are its interfaces?
• How is it disseminated?
Homework: Too Big To Know
David Weinberger

35. Q2: What is the future of
reference expertise?
• How do you search for information?
• How do you aggregate / curate it?
• What new literacies are required to
understand it?
Homework: http://searchengineland.com/
Danny Sullivan & Co.

36. Q3: What is the future of public
technology
• What is the future of knowledge access
points?
• What divides persist / emerge?
• What lending models are enabled in a new
era of property / subscription / sharing?
Homework: Confronting the Future: Strategic Visions for
the 21st Century Public Library
Roger Levien

37. Q4: What is the future of
learning spaces
• What fosters collaboration? Creativity?
Problem solving?
• What is the role of solitude and quiet spaces?
• What other alliances can you strike with
institutions that share your goals about
providing key information to your community?
Homework: A New Culture of Learning
Douglas Thomas & John Seely Brown

38. Q5: What is the future of
community anchor institutions
• Does local matter?
• What does our community need?
Homework: Informing Communities:
Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age
Knight Commission on the Information
Needs of Communities

39. Q6: What’s the franchise?
• What’s the commodity?
Homework: The Innovators Dilemma
The Innovators Solution
Clayton Christensen, Michael Raynor