Nearly one-third of Americans aged 14 and above – roughly 77 million people – used a public library computer or wireless network to access the Internet in the past year, according to a recently released national report. The report, Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at US Libraries, is based on a large-scale study of who uses public computers and Internet access in public libraries; the ways library patrons use this free technology service; why they use it; and how it affects their lives. It was conducted by the University of Washington Information School and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
In 2009, as the US struggled through a recession, people relied on library technology to find work, apply for college, secure government benefits, learn about critical medical treatments, and connect with their communities. Americans across all age groups reported they used library computers and Internet access. Low-income adults are more likely to rely on the public library as their sole access to computers and the Internet than any other income group. Overall, 44 percent of people living below the federal poverty line used computers and the Internet at their public libraries, the report noted.
The use of library technology had significant impact in four critical areas: employment, education, health, and making community connections. Over the past 12 months, 40 percent of library computer users (an estimated 30 million people) received help with career needs; 37 percent focused on health issues; and 42 percent received help with educational needs. Library computers linked patrons to their government, communities and civic organisations. Sixty-percent of users – 43.3 million people – used a library’s computer resources to connect with others.
The library’s role as a technology resource is observed to have exploded since 1996, when only 28 percent of libraries offered Internet access. Today, almost all public libraries offer visitors free access to computers and the Internet. However, up to a third of all libraries say they lack even minimally adequate Internet connections to meet demand. More report that they cannot provide the access their patrons truly need. This study highlights what is at risk, particularly for low-income individuals who heavily rely on the public library for their technology, if future public and private investment in public libraries does not keep pace with demand.
The report’s findings are based on nearly 50,000 surveys – including 3,176 from a national telephone survey and 44,881 web survey responses – from patrons of more than 400 public libraries across the country. The full report is available at http://tascha.washington.edu/usimpact.
Search for information related to internet accessibility
