Technology

More than 1 in 3 students in an academic library survey believe e-books make research easier

June 2015

With the popularity of e-books in public libraries surging, many academic libraries are still tentatively acquiring e-book collections while debating how they might add to or detract from student research methods. Julie Gilbert and Barbara Fister of Gustavus Adolphus College have published an article in College & Research Libraries that tackles this very question though […]

Low-income households with children are 4X more likely to lack broadband in the home than their higher income counterparts

May 2015

Discussions about the digital divide often focus on technology training for adults and career readiness, but as education shifts its focus towards online resources and learning environments, a major concern is the “homework gap” experienced by many school-age children. The “homework gap” refers to the disadvantages faced by children in households that lack access to […]

Public libraries are making great strides in digital inclusion, with nearly all offering technology training, among other services

May 2015

In recent years, librarians and communities have been successfully transforming the image and roles of their local libraries. No longer just an outlet for books, over two-thirds of Americans see libraries as important for the ways in which they improve community life, serve as advocates for literacy and reading, and provide avenues for individual success. […]

Half of public library respondents report internet connectivity speeds of more than 10 Mbps

April 2015

We’ve shared the Digital Inclusion Survey with you before, and now new research results dive into data specifically about broadband speeds in public libraries. More than 2,200 public libraries from 49 states reported upload and download speeds at their libraries for wired and Wi-Fi connections. City libraries reported median download speeds of 30 Mbps (wired) […]

Join us at the Pueblo CLiC Workshops!

April 2015

LRS staff will be partnering with staff from public and academic libraries as well as CLiC to present at 2 sessions at the CLiC workshops in Pueblo: Colorado Library Websites and Social Media: What’s #Trending Now? Monday, April 6, 9:30-10:45 Linda Hofschire & Dave Hodgins, Colorado State Library; Midori Clark, Pueblo City-County Library District; Cathalina […]

One-third of African Americans and Latinos have used Wi-Fi access at public libraries

March 2015

Public, free Wi-Fi access has exploded in recent years – essentially all public libraries now offer it – but only now are we beginning to get a fuller picture of how essential these services are to many communities. ALA’s District Dispatch recently reported on a survey conducted by WifiForward about Americans’ usage of and attitudes […]

Student Monitor survey finds that 64% of college students are satisfied with their campus libraries

February 2015

Survey results from a in a semiannual study conducted by market-research firm Student Monitor show nearly two-thirds of 1,200 college students surveyed were satisfied with their libraries on campus, with more than a third (35%) saying they were “very satisfied.” Upperclassmen, females, and students who lived on campus reported higher satisfaction levels than their younger, […]

EasyBib reports that 12% of K-12 schools have no information literacy instruction

February 2015

In a follow up to data collected in 2012, EasyBib completed a survey this year of 1,182 school and academic librarians, and 10,471 students, in order to determine how libraries are evaluating and responding to the need for information literacy instruction in schools and in higher education. The report shows there is a wide gap […]