How your community benefits from Internet access at Macondo County Library

June, 2013

Key findings and highlights from surveys completed at Macondo County Library.

Public libraries are important to Americans

 • 91% of Americans agree that libraries are important to their communities.

• 63% of Americans have a library card.• 76% say their local library is important

to them and their family. • 77% of Americans say free access to

computers and the Internet is a very important library service.

National data from Zickuhr, Kathryn, Aaron Smith. (2012). Digital differences. Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Washington, D.C. http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences.aspx

Your library’s public access at work

 • 70% of survey respondents use the Macondo County Library’s public access computers or wireless connection.

Who uses Macondo County Library’s public access?

 • Of users, 40% are low income (below 200% of the poverty line).

• 71% of respondents have regular access to the Internet somewhere other than the library.

Types of help users receivedfrom librarians

 

Creating or editing documents

Non-library websites

Searching on the internet

Basic computer instruction

Subscription databases and websites

Library computer services

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

14

12

24

7

14

34

Percent of patrons

68% of users received help from library staff or volunteers when using a library computer or wireless network.

People Receive Valuable Help and Resources

 • Of user respondents, 57% of people who have computer access elsewhere receive help when they come to the library.

How do people use library Internet connections?

 

Social inclusion

eCommerce

Civic engagement

eGovernment

Health

eBusiness

Employment

Education

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

55

46

41

41

43

8

43

40

Percent of patrons

Public access technology uses by activity area - Employment

 • Of public technology users, 43% used library technology for employment activities.

• Of these respondents, 33% looked for a job. Of those who looked for work, 45% applied for a job.

Public access technology uses by activity area - Education

 • Of public technology users, 40% used library technology for educational activities. – Of those users, 37% took an online class, did

research, or did homework for a class.

Public access technology uses by activity area - Health and Wellness

 • Of public technology users, 44% reported using library technology for health purposes.– Of these users, 32% found out about

diet/nutrition. 72% of those users made a change to their diet.

• Of health users, 28% reported learning about exercise or fitness.– Of these users, 52% made a change in their

exercise habits.

Importance of public library Internet access

 

Very impor-tant40%

Important21%

Moderately Important

17%

Of little impor-tance15%

Unimportant6%

Very impor-

tant63%

Important27%

Moder-ately

Impor-tant7%

Of little importance3% Unimportant

1%

Personally important Important to the community

Thank you!

 We hope this information has helped you to understand the critical role our library’s computers and Internet access play in our community.