The LRS Number

Materials challenges in Colorado public libraries continue to drop

September 2017

Just in time for Banned Books Week, LRS’s latest Fast Facts report summarizes the results of our annual investigation into the materials that are challenged in public libraries across Colorado. This Fast Facts details the number, type, and reasons for the challenges reported in the 2016 Public Library Annual Report. The information that public libraries […]

Libraries are the Most Highly Trusted Resource for Information on Recent Pew Survey

September 2017

Image credit: Pew Internet A recent Pew survey shows that 40% of U.S. adults trust information from a local public library or librarians “a lot.” Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they trust libraries/librarians “some.” Totaling the percentage of respondents who trust a resource “a lot” or “some,” 83% trust health care providers, 82% trust family […]

The number of jobs posted to Library Jobline has nearly tripled since 2009

August 2017

 Library Jobline, LRS’s website for library job postings and resources, posted a record number of jobs in 2016 and saw a continued increase in the number of people using the website to post and search for jobs. Data collected from the Library Jobline website are highlighted in the most recent Fast Facts report. In 2016, […]

Utrecht University Library study examines the future of bookshelves in the library

August 2017

As libraries increasingly focus on digital information resources, librarians are left wondering what the interior of the library will look like in the future if most of their materials can be found online rather than on bookshelves. The Utrecht University Library (UUL) attempted to answer this question in a recent study undertaken to predict what […]

Freedman Consulting study finds strong bipartisan support for net neutrality rules

July 2017

A recent study conducted by Freedman Consulting found that Americans across the political spectrum support net neutrality. The study also found a bipartisan belief that access to the internet is essential and that the government should play a role in expanding internet access. About three-quarters (77%) of the survey respondents indicated that they believe the […]

Effective Strategies for Minimizing Summer Learning Loss

June 2017

Summer learning loss is a major issue that schools, libraries, and other community organizations try to alleviate through programming. Many children lose math and reading skills over the summer, and these losses are particularly steep for low-income children (click here for more info). What are the best ways to prevent summer learning loss and how […]

Pew survey finds that the number of seniors who own smartphones has doubled since 2013

June 2017

The Pew Research Center recently published the results of a survey studying technology use among adults ages 65 and older in the United States. They found that while technology adoption is slower among senior citizens, the rate of technology use among seniors is growing. The percentage of seniors using technology has increased dramatically in the […]

Stanford University study finds that libraries are well-positioned to address food insecurity

May 2017

A recent study by the Stanford University School of Medicine found that library-based meal programs are an effective way to address food insecurity in low-income neighborhoods and can help patrons become aware of other community food resources. The researchers examined ten library meal programs in high-poverty areas in Silicon Valley in California. Food insecurity (FI) […]