The LRS Number

In new SLJ survey, nearly two-thirds of school librarians see themselves as tech leaders in their school

August 2015

School Library Journal’s 2015 Technology survey of 1,259 school librarians provides insight into the positive and negative effects that technology is having on school libraries. On the positive side, the survey suggests that school librarians are more enthusiastic than ever about incorporating tech as a component of teaching and learning. Makerspaces, 3-D printers, and coding […]

84% of Americans are using the internet today according to Pew survey

July 2015

As part of its in-depth examination of the role that the internet and technology plays in the lives of Americans, Pew Research Center has released the results of a long-term study of Americans’ access to the internet from 2000 to 2015. The study is based on 97 surveys distributed nationwide throughout the past 15 years. […]

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 […]

3 in 4 TELL survey respondents said teachers & students have access to current, diverse, & ability-appropriate materials through the library

June 2015

New results from the Colorado Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning (TELL Colorado) survey are now available! Administered through the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), this biennial survey asks Colorado teachers and administrators about teaching and learning conditions in their school. The 2015 iteration included two new questions about school libraries and librarians: Teachers receive appropriate […]

ALA reports close to two-thirds of academic libraries have made changes to their space in the last 3 years

May 2015

Recently, we posted results from ALA’s 2015 State of America’s Libraries Report about how public libraries are transforming into more digitally inclusive environments in order to better serve the needs of current and future patrons. Public libraries are not the only kind of library undergoing major transformations, however. ALA’s assessment of academic libraries found that […]

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. […]