(11 December 2013, Washington) Most Americans feel that public libraries have done a good job embracing new technology, but are split on whether libraries are as essential as they were in the past for finding information, says the Pew Research Center.
In a larger sense, Americans strongly value the role of public libraries in their communities, both for providing access to materials and resources and for improving the overall quality of life in their communities. Many library resources are particularly valued by those who are unemployed, retired, or searching for a job, as well as those living with a disability and internet users who lack home internet access.
These are some of the highlights of a nationally representative Pew Research Center survey of 6,224 Americans ages 16 and older, which was in the field from July 18-September 30, 2013. The survey was conducted on landline and cell phones, and in English and Spanish. The margin of error for the entire sample is plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.
Read the announcement here.
