Who Uses Libraries and Who Doesn’t

Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Research Center, presented at one session of the ALA Conference I attended last month. I stumbled into the session not knowing what I was in for, but before the presentation even began I knew something was up – every chair was filled and the walls were lined with expectant people. The Pew Research Center has a reputation for interesting and engaging presentations with excellent speakers (I learned this from my seated neighbor). The Center describes itself as “a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research does not take policy positions.”

Pew Research spent three years charting the role that libraries play in our lives, breaking its study into three stages. First, it studied the growing role of eBooks; second, it explored the full universe of library services; and third (and the topic of this session at ALA), it explored how libraries are perceived, valued, and relied upon. This third stage found that:

1. Public library users are not a niche group. Roughly 30% of Americans are highly engaged with public libraries, and an additional 39% fall into the medium engagement categories, leaving 31% with low or no engagement.
2. Americans’ library habits are part of their broader information and social landscape – their network.
3. Life stage is linked to library use. Who are libraries’ most ardent supporters? Mothers with children at home.

Pew Research has its full report online and you can participate in its survey. Find out exactly what kind of library user you are! (Although, working at a library, you probably already know). Still, it’s an interesting exercise. Take the quiz and then read the study. I eagerly await your comments about your results.