The internet revolutionized how people connect with information, shifting our interactions from atoms to bits. Now the devices by which we access digital content have shrunk in size and grown in power, putting the tools to find and create content in our pockets. Amidst this constantly evolving digital landscape, America’s libraries are trying to keep pace with the latest technological changes while still serving the needs and expectations of more traditional patrons. In this talk at the University of Chicago’s Cultural Policy Center, internet researcher Kathryn Zickuhr will draw on data from the Pew Research Center’s nationally representative surveys and rich qualitative material to explore not only how libraries are dealing with the changing technological environment, but also the larger context of Americans’ reading and library habits, and what they expect from libraries in the future.
Kathryn Zickuhr is a research associate at the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, where she studies the changing role of libraries in Americans’ lives and communities in the era of digital content. Kathryn is the lead author of reports on libraries and e-books, younger Americans’ reading and library habits, and disparities in technology access and use. She has also published reports on topics ranging from broadband adoption to location-based mobile services. She has been interviewed by The New York Times, NPR, The Washington Post, and other major news outlets regarding the Pew Research Center’s work.
Free and open to the public. No RSVP necessary. For more information, see: http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/events/
