CIL2011: How Libraries Add Value to Communities

Lee Rainie from Pew Internet and American Life Project

Pew Internet and American Life Project is a fact tank - they generate information that is useful to others.

24% of people (U.S.) only have a cell phone only.  Higher for those under 30 years old.

First revolution - 79% American adults are using the Internet.  93% of teens.  Since 2007 that growth has been flat.  Very few new people are coming online.

Home broadband connections - 2/3 of American adults have broadband access at home. 4% have dial-up at home.  With the Administration's stimulus funding, will the numbers go up?  Pew will be doing a new survey to check that out.

Rural areas have continued to lag behind urban and suburban broadband use.

Demographic factors correlated with broadband adoption  (similar for wireless connectivity)

Positive correlations (in order of importance)

• Household income of $75K or more per year
• College degree
• Parent with a minor child at home
• Married or living with a partner
• Employed full-time

Negative correlation (in order of importance)

• Have a high school degree or less
• Senior citizen
• Prefers speaking Spanish in our interviews
• Disabled
• African American

 Consequences for info ecosystem

• Volume
• Vibrance
• Velocity - information is coming more quickly on those things that the individual cares about.  What matters to me?  We are our own gatekeepers.
• Valence / relevance

  Networked creators among Internet users

• 62%  are social networking site users
• 55% share photos
• 33% create content tags
• 14% are bloggers
• 12% use Twitters
• 4%-17%??? use location-sharing services - are working to get a better reading of this.  Next survey will ask several questions about this in order to get better data.

Big value-add by libraries

1. Cover access divides - 44% of those living below the poverty line used library connections.  61% of those ages 14-24 used them for school.  54% of poor senior citizens used library connections for health and wellness.  63% used library connections to help others.
2. Cover participatory divides
3.  - 60% of library connectors use them for social purposes.  42% for education purposes.  37% health and wellness purposes.

Relevancy and digital literacy are primary factors for not going online

• Relevancy 48%
• Price 21%
• Usability 18%
• Availability 6%
• Other 7%

Second Revolution 

Cell phone owners - 85% of adults - cell phone adoption around the globe has been faster than other technologies.  40-45% of cell phone owners use their cell phones to connection to the Internet. 57% of adults have wireless connectivity.

35% of Americans have apps on their devices, but fewer use the apps. 

The web is really good for who, what, when and where.

Apps provide more focused information from trusted sources. 

The web is still good for lots of people wide ranging queries and interactions).  The apps world is good for navigating an inhospitable environment.

Data from January -

• 55% of adults own laptops
• 50% of adults own DVRs
• 45% of adults own MP3 players
• 42% of adults own game consoles
• 7% of adults own ebook readers - Kindle
• 7% of adults own tablet computer - iPad - doubled in 6 months

The wireless environment has changed people's sense of place and presence - anywhere, any device, any time -> Alone together

Big challenge for libraries - People used to come to us, but now we need to go to them.  The library as place becomes the library as a placeless resource.

Our value-add is "how" and "why" in regards to apps vs. web vs. traditional resources.  Help people access real-time information.  Augmented reality is a space where we can help to provide context of the information.  People do still value libraries as a sanctuary (quiet space).

Social networking revolution 

The social networking population is more diverse than you might think.  Half of all Americans use social networking sites.  Big growth rates for those over age 50.

Positive Correlation

• Under age 30
• Female (overall)
• Male (frequency)
• Parent with a minor child at home
• Some college
• Urban

Negative Correlation

• Senior citizen
• Rural
• Non-cell users

Big social impacts

• Online social networks + ubiquitous mobility (FOMO - fear of missing out)
• It is your social dashboard
• Pervasive awareness of what is going on in your world (i.e., your friends) - May find out that our friends are not just like us.  People can form networks on the fly.

Value-adds for libraries

1. Can be embedded in people's networks

• Attention zones
• Intervene when people want to do deep dives (in a topic).  
• Be available when people's attention moves to an area where we can help. 
• Info-snacking
• Day dreaming - fading - give people permission to be in this space
• Media zones
• Social streams
• Immersive
• Creative / participatory
• Study / work

2. Can be nodes in social networks

• As sentries  - word of mouth matters more
• As information evaluators - they vouch for/discredit a business's credibility and authenticity
• As forums for actions - everybody's a broadcaster / publisher

Cosmic big value-add by libraries
1. Can be teachers of new literacies

• Screen literacy - graphics and symbols
• Navigation literacy
• Connections and context literacy
• Skepticism
• Value of contemplative time (think I typed this correct)
• How to create content
• Ethical behavior in new world

2. Can help fill civic gaps