The new findings covered the latest library-usage trends, book-reading trends, and insights into the ways more and more Americans hope libraries will offer community-oriented and educational services.
Experts are split on whether the coming years will see less misinformation online. Those who foresee improvement hope for technological and societal solutions. Others say bad actors using technology can exploit human vulnerabilities.
Most Americans think that local libraries serve the educational needs of their communities and families well. But many do not know about key education services libraries provide.
Despite broad concerns about cyberattacks, outages and privacy violations, most experts believe the Internet of Things will continue to expand successfully the next few years.
Lee Rainie presents new survey findings about how people use libraries, the kinds of services and programs people would like from libraries, and how libraries are connected to communication education and learning environments.
In order to thrive in the future, librarians will need to be great forecasters and innovators. Lee Rainie will describe how the Center’s research provides guideposts for librarians along three dimensions of library activity: the people, the place, and the platform, at the VALA2016 conference in Melbourne, Australia on Feb. 9, 2016
A large majority of Americans seek extra knowledge for personal and work-related reasons. Digital technology plays a notable role in these knowledge pursuits, but place-based learning remains vital to many.
Americans believe libraries are important community institutions and profess interest in libraries offering a range of new program possibilities. Yet, even as the public expresses interest in additional library services, there are signs that the share of Americans visiting libraries has edged downward over the past three years.