This document summarizes a presentation by Kathryn Zickuhr and Mary Madden of the Pew Internet & American Life Project to the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies. It discusses Pew's research on how public libraries and library users are changing in the digital age. The research is funded by the Gates Foundation and examines topics like the rise of e-books and e-readers, differences between print and digital readers, and libraries' evolving role in communities. Surveys of library patrons and staff about e-books and libraries were also mentioned.

1. Public libraries in the digital age
Kathryn Zickuhr and Mary Madden
Pew Internet & American Life Project
Presented to: Chief Officers of State Library Agencies
Spring Meeting
April 25, 2012

2. About Pew Internet
• Part of the Pew Research
Center, a non-partisan “fact
tank” in Washington, DC
• Studies how people use
digital technologies
• Does not promote specific
technologies or make policy
recommendations
• Research is primarily based
on nationally representative
pewinternet.org telephone surveys of adults

3. About our libraries research
• Goal: To study the changing role of public
libraries and library users in the digital age
• Funded by a three-year, $1.4 million grant
from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
libraries.pewinternet.org

4. RESEARCH TIMELINE
Stage I (August 2011-July 2012)
Libraries + new technologies
• The Rise of E-Reading - Published
– Includes special focus on reading habits of people who own
e-readers or tablet computers
• E-books and libraries - June 2012
– Will include stories and quotes from online surveys of library
staff and patrons (in the field now)
• Library use in different community types
• The habits of younger library users

5. RESEARCH TIMELINE
Stage II (May-November 2012)
The changing world of library services
• The evolving role of libraries in communities
– New library services
– People’s expectations of libraries
– “The library of the future”
• The role of libraries in the life of special populations
– Lower-income users, minorities, rural residents, senior
citizens

6. RESEARCH TIMELINE
Stage III (September 2012–April 2013)
A typology of who does – and does not – use libraries
• A “library user” typology
– Different user “types” based on:
• What their local libraries are like
• How they use libraries
• Attitudes about libraries in general
• An updated, in-depth portrait of young library users

7. What we have done so far…

8. First report: The rise of e-reading
21% of American
adults read an e-book
in the last year
68% read a print book
11% listened to an
audiobook

9. The book format used by readers on
any given day is changing
% of adult book readers (age 18+) using this format on an average day, as
of June 2010 and December 2011
100% 95%
90% 84%
80%
70%
60%
50% Jun-10
40% Dec-11
30%
20% 15%
10% 4% 4% 4%
0%
Print book E-book Audiobook

10. Who are the readers behind the screens?
Readers of e-books are more likely
than other readers to be:
• Under age 50
• College educated
• Living in households earning $50K+
Other key characteristics:
• They read more books, more often,
and for a wider range of reasons
• More likely to buy than borrow

11. How e-readers read their e-books
% of all Americans age 16 and older who read an e-book in the past
12 months, as of December 2011
50%
40%
42% 41%
30%
29%
20% 23%
10%
0%
On a cell phone On a computer On an e-book On a tablet
reader computer

12. How device owners read their e-books
% of owners of each device who read e-books on that device
100%
90%
93%
80%
81%
70%
60%
50%
40% 46%
30%
29%
20%
10%
0%
On a cell phone* On a desktop or On an e-reader* On a tablet*
laptop*
* = among people who own that device

13. The contours of the gadget landscape
29% of US adults own a
specialized device for e-
reading (either a tablet or
an e-reader)
– 19% of adults own an
e-book reader
– 19% of adults own a
tablet computer

14. What kind of e-reader do you own?
% of American adult e-reader owners age 18+ who own each type of
e-book reader
Other 3%
Kobo Reader 1%
Don’t know Kindle
Pandigital 2%
9%
Sony Reader 2% Nook
Sony Reader
Pandigital
Nook 22% Kobo Reader
Kindle 62%
Other
Don’t know

15. What kind of tablet computer do you own?
% of American adult tablet owners age 18+ who own each type of
tablet computer
Don’t iPad
Nook Color 1% know
6% Kindle Fire
Other 11%
Motorola Xoom 1%
Samsung Galaxy
HP Touchpad 2%
Samsung HP Touchpad
Galaxy 5%
Motorola Xoom
iPad 61%
Kindle Fire 14%
Nook Color
Other
Don’t know

16. What is the main reason you do not
currently have an e-reader?
% of American adults age 16+ who do not own an e-book reader, as of December 2011
Just don't need one/don’t want one 24%
Cost/can’t afford it 19
Prefer books/print 16
Don’t read/no time to read 10
Don’t know what an e-reader is 5
Don’t want to learn tech/don’t know how to use it 4
Have enough other devices/use other devices 3
Plan to get one/waiting for better features 3
Have iPad/tablet 3
Lack of time in general 2
I’m too old 2
Vision/health problems <1
Other 3
Don’t know/refused 5
Dec. 2011 results are from a survey of 2,986 people age 16 and older conducted November 16-December
21, 2011. The survey was conducted in English and Spanish and on landline and call phones. The margin of
error is +/- 2 percentage points. N for number of non-owners of e-reading devices=2,290.

17. What is the main reason you do not
currently have a tablet computer?
% of American adults age 16+ who do not own a tablet computer, as of December 2011
Just don't need one/don’t want one 35%
Cost/can’t afford it 25
Have enough devices/happy with current devices 20
Don’t want to learn tech/don’t know how to use it 7
Don’t know what a tablet computer is 2
Plan to get one/waiting for better features 2
I’m too old 2
Lack of time in general 1
Don’t read/no time to read <1
Vision/health problems <1
Prefer books/print <1
Prefer to use library <1
Other 2
Don’t know/refused 3
Dec. 2011 results are from a survey of 2,986 people age 16 and older conducted November 16-December
21, 2011. The survey was conducted in English and Spanish and on landline and call phones. The margin of
error is +/- 2 percentage points. N for number of non-owners of e-reading devices=2,290.

18. Which is better for these purposes, a printed
book or an e-book?
% of Americans 16+ who have read both e-books and print books in the last 12 months
Printed books E-books
100%
81% 83%
80% 73%
69%
60% 53%
43% 45%
40% 35%
25%
19%
20% 13%
9%
0%
Reading with a Sharing books Reading books Having a wide Reading while Being able to
child with other in bed selection to traveling or get a book
people choose from commuting quickly

20. When you want to read a particular
e-book, where do you look first?
% of readers of e-books age 16+, as of December 2011
80% 75%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
12%
10% 5% 5%
0%
At an online At your public Someplace else Don’t know
bookstore/website library

21. Additional takeaways for librarians
• The gadget doesn’t make the
reader, but it may change the
reader
• 41% of tablet owners and 35%
of e-reader owners said they
were reading more since the
advent of e-content
• A majority of print readers
(54%) and e-book readers
(61%) prefer to purchase their
own copies of these books;
most audiobook listeners
(61%) prefer to borrow their
audiobooks

22. WHAT’S NEXT
Online surveys: E-books and libraries
• Two surveys:
1. Patrons who check out e-books
2. Staff at libraries that lend out e-books
• Online surveys = Stories, not statistics
• Focusing on public libraries in the U.S.
• In the field now; surveys will be open until
Friday, May 18th

23. WHAT’S NEXT
Online surveys: E-books and libraries
• Patrons survey – Please share!
– http://bit.ly/pewebooksurvey
– No password
• Librarian survey – Please take!
– http://bit.ly/pewlibrarian
– Email Kathryn at kzickuhr@pewinternet.org
for password

24. Thank you!
Kathryn Zickuhr
Email: kzickuhr@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @kzickuhr
Mary Madden
Email: mmadden@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @mary_madden
libraries.pewinternet.org