[OPLINLIST] FW: [alacro-l] 2009-2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study now online

[Hickson-Stevenson, Pamela]

News from the American Library Association...

 

Pamela J. Hickson-Stevenson, Ohio Chapter Councilor to ALA and

Assistant Director

Akron-Summit County Public Library

60 S. High Street

Akron, OH  44326

 

Phone 330.643.9102          Fax 330.643.9160

 

phs at akronlibrary.org         www.akronlibrary.org
<http://www.akronlibrary.org>  

 

Recognized as one of America's Best Libraries <<<<<
<http://www.akronlibrary.org/5star.html> 

 

The Akron-Summit County Public Library provides resources for learning
and leisure, information services, meeting spaces, and programs for all
ages that support, improve, and enrich individual, family, and community
life.

 

From: Don Wood [mailto:dwood at ala.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 2:52 PM
To: alacro-l at ala.org
Cc: Larra Clark
Subject: [alacro-l] 2009-2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access
Study now online

 

Good afternoon, everyone. 

 

Following up our pre-release of some key findings at the ALA Midwinter
Meeting (the "Perfect Storm
<http://www.ala.org/ala/research/initiatives/plftas/issuesbriefs/index.c
fm> " briefing report), the ALA this week published the complete
findings from the 2009-2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access
Study (www.ala.org/plinternetfunding).

 

Co-published with American Libraries magazine as their Summer Digital
Supplement, the report finds:

*	67% of public libraries report that they are the only source of
free public access to computers and the Internet in their communities.

 

*	On average, public libraries provide 14.2 public computers per
location, up from 11 computers one year ago.

 

*	76% of libraries report public use of Internet computers
increased in 2009.

 

*	82% of libraries provide free wireless access, up from 37% only
four years ago.

 

*	88% of libraries provide access to job databases and other job
opportunity resources.

 

*	79% percent provide assistance to patrons applying for and
accessing e-government services, up 23% from last year.

 

*	89% of libraries offer formal or informal technology assistance
to library users, and 24% offer one-on-one technology training by
appointment. 

 

*	15% of all libraries report decreased hours of operation -
triple the number that reported this was the case one year ago. This
translates to lost hours at more than 2,400 library branches. Nearly one
quarter of urban libraries report reduced hours.

 

The complete report with findings from the national public library
survey administered by the Center for Library & Information Innovation
at the University of Maryland, the state library survey and interviews
with public and state library staff in Arizona and Tennessee, can be
found here:

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/archives/digital-supplement/summer-
2010-digital-supplement

 

State-by-state data summaries are here:
http://www.ala.org/ala/research/initiatives/plftas/2009_2010/statesummar
ies.cfm.

 

Additional materials - including the press kit, unabridged tables from
the public library survey, links to updated issues briefs and the first
of several maps showing state-level data points, can be found here:
http://www.ala.org/ala/research/initiatives/plftas/2009_2010/index.cfm 

 

Our first significant media mention came Monday on All Things
Considered:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2010/06/21/127990542/digital-
challenges-for-u-s-public-libraries 

 

Finally, if your chapter has a Twitter feed, please follow us at
ala_ors, where we will share media stories, new materials, webinar
opportunities and more going forward.

 

Thank you again for your help, support of and participation in the
largest and longest-running study of computers and the Internet in U.S.
public libraries. The study is conducted by the ALA Office for Research
& Statistics and the Center for Library & Information Innovation with
funding from the ALA and the Bill& Melinda Gates Foundation. As always,
we welcome your comments and questions.

 

I hope to see many of you in Washington, D.C., for the ALA Annual
Conference!

 

Warm regards,

 

Larra

 

 

Larra Clark

Project Manager

ALA Office for Research & Statistics

800-941-8478 x8213

www.ala.org/plinternetfunding 

 

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