{"id":93887,"date":"2016-04-07T09:47:56","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T14:47:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2016\/04\/07\/how-people-view-libraries-as-part-of-community-educational-systems\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T04:17:14","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T09:17:14","slug":"how-people-view-libraries-as-part-of-community-educational-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/internet\/2016\/04\/07\/how-people-view-libraries-as-part-of-community-educational-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"2. How people view libraries as part of community educational systems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Substantial majorities of Americans are serving the needs of their communities and their own families at least pretty well.<\/p>\n\n

Some 37% say their local libraries serve the needs of their communities \u201cvery well\u201d and another 39% say \u201cpretty well.\u201d At the same time, 34% say their local libraries serve them and their families \u201cvery well\u201d and 36% say \u201cpretty well.\u201d While the share is small for those who fell negatively about how libraries are performing in their local education scene, it is worth noting that 12% said they \u201cdon\u2019t know\u201d when the question involves libraries and community education systems and 7% said \u201cdon\u2019t know\u201d when the issue is about how libraries are serving their own needs and those of their families.<\/p>\n\n

\"Majorities<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Those who use libraries feel relatively satisfied with their performance in learning situations, particularly women, blacks, Hispanics, those in lower-income households and those ages 30 and older<\/h4>\n\n
\"Women,<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

There are pronounced differences among various groups when it comes to the most positive responses on these questions. Those who have visited a library or bookmobile in the past 12 months are more likely than others to say libraries are performing \u201cvery well\u201d when it comes to educational services, as are those who self-identify as \u201clifelong learners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

In addition, as a rule, libraries\u2019 performance in learning arenas gets better marks from women, blacks, Hispanics, those in lower-income households, and those ages 30 and older. This next section will sort through that material, especially focusing on people who answered that libraries perform \u201cvery well\u201d for their communities and their own families:<\/p>\n\n

Library users: <\/u>Those who have visited a library or bookmobile in the past 12 months and those who have used library websites are more positive about the way libraries fit into community educational ecosystems and the way they serve respondents and their families. Some 45% of recent library visitors say their local library meets their communities\u2019 education needs \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 31% of those who were not recent library visitors who feel that way. Similarly, 45% of recent library users say libraries serve the educational needs of them and their families \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 26% of those who have not visited a library in the past year.<\/p>\n\n

Lifelong learners:<\/u> Those who say that the term \u201clifelong learner\u201d applies \u201cvery well\u201d to them are also more likely than others to say libraries are doing well in serving their community and personal needs. Some 39% of lifelong learners say libraries are doing \u201cvery well\u201d in serving their communities\u2019 learning and educational needs, compared with 32% of those who do not define themselves as lifelong learners. In addition, 37% of lifelong learners say libraries serve the educational activities of them and their families \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 27% of others who say that.<\/p>\n\n

Personal learners and professional learners:<\/u> Interestingly, there are not major differences between personal learners and others and professional learners and others in their responses to both questions about libraries and their communities and libraries and their families. Personal learners are a bit more likely than others to say libraries do \u201cpretty well\u201d at serving their communities\u2019 educational needs (42% vs. 33%) and \u201cpretty well\u201d at serving the educational needs of them and their families (38% vs. 31%). However, there are not differences either among professional learners and others as well as personal learners and others when it comes to those who say libraries do \u201cvery well\u201d at both tasks.<\/p>\n\n

Women:<\/u> Women are more likely than men to be library users and women are also more likely to have the most positive views about the role of libraries in community and personal learning activities. Some 41% of women believe that their public libraries serve the learning and educational needs of their communities \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 34% of men who believe that. Similarly, 38% of women say their public libraries serve the educational needs of themselves and their families \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 31% of men.<\/p>\n\n

Race and ethnicity:<\/u> African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely than whites to say that libraries serve the learning and education needs of their communities \u201cvery well.\u201d Some 45% of both minority groups say that, while 34% of whites support that idea. Meanwhile, whites are more likely than others to say libraries serve community education needs \u201cpretty well.\u201d In addition, 43% of blacks and 42% of Hispanics say that libraries serve the learning and educational needs of them and their families \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 32% of whites who say that. Again, whites are more likely to say libraries serve their personal educational needs \u201cpretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Lower income:<\/u> Those living in households earning less than $50,000 are more likely than those in higher-income households to say that libraries serve community learning needs \u201cvery well\u201d: 40% of those in lower-income households say that, compared with 32% of those in households earning $50,000 or more. Similarly, 38% of those in households earning less than $50,000 say libraries serve their and their families\u2019 learning and educational needs \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 31% of those living in higher-income households.<\/p>\n\n

Those over age 30:<\/u> Those ages 30 and older are somewhat more likely than young adults to have the most positive views about how libraries serve the learning interests of their patrons and communities: 27% of those ages 18 to 29 say libraries serve the educational needs of their communities \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 40% of those ages 30 and older. Similarly, 29% of young adults say they believe libraries have served the educational needs of themselves and their families \u201cvery well,\u201d compared with 36% of those ages 30 and over who say that.<\/p>\n\n