2011 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study: Results, Trends, and Resources

Originally presented November 1, 2011.

Twitter hashtag: #plftas

Over 8,400 urban, suburban, and rural libraries participated in the 2011 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, the largest and longest-running study of Internet connectivity in U.S. public libraries. Key findings include:

• 70% of libraries report increased use of public access computers, while at the same time, over 76% report an insufficient number of public computers to meet demand.
• 65% of libraries report that they are the only source of free public access to computers and the Internet in their communities.
• 67% of libraries offer access to e-books.
• 72% of libraries report that staff help patrons complete online job applications.
• 16% of libraries report decreased hours of operation. This translates to lost hours at more than 2,600 branches.

In this webinar co-sponsored by ALA TechSource, the ALA Office for Research & Statistics, and WebJunction, you will learn how to interpret the data and emerging trends; access new advocacy and marketing tools including state profiles, issue briefs, and PR templates; and use the data to make the case for your library with elected officials and community stakeholders. Take the new survey now!

Presented by: John Bertot, Co-Director, Information Policy & Access Center, University of Maryland; Judy Hoffman, Project Manager, American Library Association, Office for Research and Statistics; and Peggy Rudd, Director, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

• View full Archive (combined archive of audio, slides, Q&A and chat)

Resources and Links:

• Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study
  
  • www.ala.org/plinternetfunding including Data in Action and Issue Briefs
  • www.plinternetsurvey.org (take the survey before November 18!)
  • Blog: ors.ala.org/libconnect
  • On Twitter: ala_ors or iPAC_UMD
• Libraries Connect Communities: Key Findings 2010 – 2011
• Comcast Internet Essentials "Get Training"
• IMLS Public Libraries in the United States Survey Fiscal Year 2009, released October 2011
• Libraries and E-Government Project, focused on forming partnerships between government agencies and libraries to provide e-government services in their communities.

Library Technology Reports is a leading publication that explores how new hardware, software and technological trends are being used in twenty-first century libraries. Published eight times annually, Library Technology Reports features industry leaders from Academic, Public and Research libraries who leverage their expertise in various areas to create studies that explore technology trends, the theories behind them, how they are being used by leading institutions, and practical principles for applying them to a new situation. With over 1,500 subscribers and widespread circulation through institutional accounts and databases, Library Technology Reports is one of the most effective ways of reaching today's technology decision makers in the library world.