Public library engagement in the United States
An overview of three years of research into Americans’ relationships with public libraries in the digital age.
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What does library engagement look like in different community types?
Some 77% of Americans now think it is “very important” for public libraries to provide free access to computers and the internet to the community. (For comparison, 80% of Americans say the same thing about books.)
Compare the library engagement of your library or group with the rest of the country using our new “community quiz” tool.
As librarians around the country gather in Las Vegas for the American Library Association’s annual conference, here are findings that stand out from our research.
The New York Public Library recently announced that it is rethinking its controversial plans to turn parts of its 42nd Street location into a public lending library. Public libraries across the country are grappling with similar issues of how central their collections of books should be as they strive to add digital services, expand learning resources, and serve as all-purpose community spaces.
Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center