{"id":93898,"date":"2016-04-07T09:47:44","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T14:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2016\/04\/07\/libraries-and-learning\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T04:18:29","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T09:18:29","slug":"libraries-and-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/internet\/2016\/04\/07\/libraries-and-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Libraries and Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most Americans believe libraries do a decent job of serving the education and learning needs of their communities and their own families. A new survey by Pew Research Center shows that 76% of adults say libraries serve the learning and educational needs of their communities either \u201cvery well\u201d (37%) or \u201cpretty well\u201d (39%). Further, 71% say libraries serve their own personal needs and the needs of their families \u201cvery well\u201d or \u201cpretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

As a rule, libraries\u2019 performance in learning arenas gets better marks from women, blacks, Hispanics, those in lower-income households, and those ages 30 and older.<\/p>\n\n

\"Majorities<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

At the same time, many do not know that libraries offer learning-related programs and materials such as e-books, career and job resources, and high school certification courses.<\/p>\n\n

Library users think of themselves as lifelong learners<\/h4>\n\n

Additionally, these views arise in a context where strong majorities of adults consider themselves \u201clifelong learners\u201d and libraries around the country are working to fit their programs and services into local educational ecosystems \u2013 both the formal parts of it (such as schools) and the informal parts of it (such as \u201cdo it yourself\u201d learning opportunities). A recent Pew Research report<\/a> found that 73% of adults say the label \u201clifelong learner\u201d applies \u201cvery well\u201d to them. Additionally, 74% of adults have participated in personal learning experiences of various kinds in the previous 12 months \u2013 we call them personal learners.<\/u> And 63% of full- and part-time workers have taken courses or done training on the job to improve their skills in the past year \u2013 we called them professional learners<\/u>.<\/p>\n\n

Recent library users overwhelmingly embrace those ideas and activities. Fully 97% of those who used a library or bookmobile in the past 12 months say that the term \u201clifelong learner\u201d applies \u201cvery well\u201d or \u201cpretty well\u201d to them and a similar share of library website users (98%) also strongly identified with being lifelong learners.<\/p>\n\n

Moreover, 84% of those who visited a library in the past 12 months fit our definition of personal learner, compared with 66% of those who had not recently visited a library or bookmobile. Recent library users are more likely than others to read \u201chow to\u201d publications, take courses related to personal interests, attend learning-related events and meetings, and take online courses.<\/p>\n\n

Interestingly, among workers, recent library users are no more likely than others to fall into the category of professional learners.<\/p>\n\n

Library usage continues to evolve<\/h4>\n\n
\"Use<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

In addition to examining the role of libraries as contributors to people\u2019s learning, this survey also continued the Center\u2019s benchmarking of library usage. Some 78% of adults say they have ever gone to a library, while 44% say they went to a library or bookmobile in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n\n

The findings indicate a downward drift in the number of those who use physical library facilities in any given year. In our first survey on this in November 2012, 53% of adults had visited a library or bookmobile in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n\n

Over the same period, the use of library websites has leveled off. In 2013, 30% of adults had used a library website over the past 12 months, while the new finding is that 31% have done so in the past year. Additionally, we found that 9% of adults had used a library-related app in the past 12 months \u2013 a first time reading for this question.[1. In 2014, the Information Policy and Access Center reported that 43% of libraries offer mobile apps.]<\/p>\n\n