Kathryn Zickuhr

Most Americans say they have only had positive experiences at public libraries, and value a range of library resources and services. Regarding the importance of public libraries to their communities, when those surveyed were asked if their library were closed, what impact it would have, some 90% of Americans ages 16 and older said that the closing of their local public library would have an impact on their community, with 63% saying it would have a “major” impact.

Asked about the personal impact of a public library closing, two-thirds (67%) of Americans said it would affect them and their families, including 29% who said it would have a major impact. Moreover, the vast majority of Americans ages 16 and older say that public libraries play an important role in their communities:

• 95% of Americans ages 16 and older agree that the materials and resources available at public libraries play an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed;
• 95% say that public libraries are important because they promote literacy and a love of reading;
• 94% say that having a public library improves the quality of life in a community;
• 81% say that public libraries provide many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere.

Women, African-Americans and Hispanics, adults who live in lower-income households, and adults with lower levels of educational attainment are more likely than other groups to declare all the library services we asked about “very important.” Adults ages 30-64 are also more likely than younger or older respondents to say many of the services are “very important,” as are parents with minor children. Libraries are also particularly valued by those who are unemployed, retired, or searching for a job, as well as those living with a disability and Internet users who lack home Internet access:

• 56% of Internet users without home access say public libraries’ basic technological resources (such as computers, Internet, and printers) are “very important” to them and their family, compared with 33% of all respondents.
• 49% of unemployed and retired respondents say they librarian assistance in finding information to be “very important,” compared with 41% of employed respondents.
• 47% of job seekers say help finding or applying for a job is “very important” to them and their families.
• 40% of those living with a disability say help applying for government services is “very important,” compared with 27% of those without a disability.

The focus of this report is the creation of a new typology of Americans’ public engagement with public libraries, which sheds light on broader issues around the relationship between technology, libraries, and information resources in the United States. This report describes nine groups of Americans that reflect different patterns of public library engagement, from high engagement to non-engagement groups. Respondents were sorted into groups based on analysis of factors such as: the importance of public libraries in their lives; how they use libraries; and how they view the role of libraries in communities. Among the broad themes and major findings:

• Public library users and proponents are not a niche group: 30% of Americans ages 16 and older are highly engaged with public libraries, and an additional 39% fall into medium engagement categories.
• Americans’ library habits do not exist in a vacuum: Americans’ connection -- or lack of connection -- with public libraries is part of their broader information and social landscape. As a rule, people who have extensive economic, social, technological, and cultural resources are also more likely to use and value libraries as part of those networks.
• Life stage and special circumstances are linked to increased library use and higher engagement with information: Deeper connections with public libraries are often associated with key life moments such as having a child, seeking a job, being a student, and going through a situation in which research and data can help inform a decision.

On the other hand, those who are less engaged with public libraries are often less engaged in their communities overall. Particularly for the low engagement groups, lower rates of library use and lack of familiarity with libraries seem to coincide with lower patterns of social and civic engagement in other areas of their lives. Members of low and non-engagement groups tend to be less comfortable navigating various types of information, such as finding material about government services and benefits.