The LRS Number

76% of Americans rated librarian assistance as very or somewhat important to them

January 2014

The Pew Internet & American Life Project recently released new research results from its report How Americans Value Public Libraries in Their Communities. This powerful study explores what Americans (16 and older) value about public libraries, how libraries impact them and their families, and how they use and perceive libraries. Here are some highlights from […]

A national survey of school librarians found that 98% instruct students and teachers in the use of technology tools

January 2014

School Library Journal’s 2013 School Library Technology Survey asked more than 750 K-12 school librarians and media specialists at public and private schools about technology topics including technology integration, professional development, filtering, and social media. Results show that almost all respondents (98%) are teaching students and coaching teachers how to use everything from databases to […]

Colorado public libraries reported 39 challenges to materials and services in 2012

December 2013

Public libraries reported only 39 challenges to their materials and services in 2012, through LRS’s annual Public Library Annual Report. The number – down 35 percent from 2011 – is the lowest in at least nine years. More than half (51%) of the challenges pertain to books, though audiobook-related challenges rose by a substantial 550 […]

93% of the largest U.S. public libraries (serving 500,000+) are on Facebook

December 2013

Our new report, U.S. Public Libraries and the Use of Web Technologies, 2012, presents the findings of our longitudinal study of nearly 600 U.S. public libraries’ use of web technologies and social media. One of our main findings was that in 2012, the majority of libraries had social media accounts: Almost all (93%) of the […]

Text reference increased by as much as 375% in U.S. public libraries from 2010 to 2012

November 2013

Earlier this week, we released a report, U.S. Public Libraries and the Use of Web Technologies, 2012, that presents the findings of our longitudinal study of nearly 600 U.S. public libraries’ use of web technologies and social media. One element that we examined was virtual reference–email, chat, and text. Our findings showed that in 2008, […]

Impact survey logo
November 2013

In 2010, researchers from the University of Washington released the study “Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries.” This study was a national effort that consisted of a random telephone survey, online surveys of library users, interviews, and focus groups to determine who library internet computer users were, […]

31% of adult internet users upload or post videos online

November 2013

  Videos are becoming more and more popular sources of entertainment, education, and learning. Not only are many people watching videos online—nearly 4 out of 5 (78%) of online adults do—but 31 percent of them are also posting or uploading videos to the internet, according to a new Pew Internet report complete with its own […]