- One third of the American public, an estimated 77 million people over the age of 14, used a library computer in 2009.
- Young people between 14-19 were most likely to be using computers for educational purposes, users between the ages 25-54 were focused on employment and training, and older adults focused on health information.
- The majority of library public access computer users (86 percent) reported they had “regular access to a computer and the Internet for your personal use” at home.
- People who lacked home access were frequent users, with 65 percent reporting that they used computers and the internet in the library at least once a week or daily.
- Between 2000 and 2007 alone the availability of Internet terminals in public libraries increased by 90 percent on a per capita basis.
Where have we found all these fun facts? The results of the U.S. Impact Study by the University of Washington have come in. We invited you to participate in this study, and we're appreciative of those of you who did! The results definitely put to rest many of the myths about public library computer use. It's not going away anytime soon, and is becoming a core service to our communities.
Want to know the full story? Check it out here.
