{"id":94728,"date":"2013-05-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-05-01T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2013\/05\/01\/parents-children-libraries-and-reading\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T04:13:08","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T09:13:08","slug":"parents-children-libraries-and-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/internet\/2013\/05\/01\/parents-children-libraries-and-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"Parents, Children, Libraries, and Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Media Contacts: Lee Rainie, Director<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"mailto:lrainie@pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/internet\">lrainie@pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/internet<\/a>\u00a0 and 202-419-4510<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" align=\"center\"><b> <i>Parents say libraries are very important places for their children because reading is a key part of parent-child interactions and libraries provide extra resources not available in their homes <\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" align=\"center\"><b> <i>More than other adults, parents with minor children have more interactions with libraries at the facilities and online <\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" align=\"center\"><b> <i>Mothers are more engaged than fathers in reading and library activities<\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON (May 1, 2013) \u2014\u00a0The vast majority of parents of minor children \u2013 children younger than 18 \u2013 feel libraries are very important for their children. Fully 94% of parents say libraries are important for their children and 79% describe libraries as \u201cvery important.\u201d That is especially true of parents of young children (those under 6): 84% of them say libraries are \u201cvery important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That attachment to libraries carries over into parents\u2019 own higher-than-average use of a wide range of library services. Compared with other adults who don\u2019t have minor children at home, parents are more likely to have library cards, visit the library, use the library website, and use mobile devices to connect the library.\u00a0 Indeed, 30% of parents say their patronage of libraries has increased in the past five years and the primary <a name=\"_GoBack\"><\/a>reason they cite for the increase is the presence of a child in their family.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ties between parents and libraries start with the importance parents attach to the role of reading in their children\u2019s lives. Half of parents of children under age 12 (50%) read to their child every day and an additional 26% do so a few times a week. Those with children under age 6 are especially keen on daily reading with their child: 58% of these parents read with their child every day and another 26% read multiple times a week with their children.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The importance parents assign to reading and access to knowledge shapes their enthusiasm for libraries and their programs:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>84% of these parents who say libraries are important say a major reason they want their children to have access to libraries is that libraries help inculcate their children\u2019s love of reading and books.<\/li>\n<li>81% say a major reason libraries are important is that libraries provide their children with information and resources not available at home.<\/li>\n<li>71% also say a major reason libraries are important is that libraries are a safe place for children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Almost every parent (97%) says it is important for libraries to offer programs and classes for children and teens.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are some of the key findings from a survey of 2,252 Americans ages 16 and above between October 15 and November 10, 2012 by the Pew Research Center\u2019s Internet &amp; American Life Project. The surveys were administered on half on landline phones and half on cellphones and were conducted in English and Spanish. The margin of error for the full survey is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. The survey includes 584 interviews with parents of children under 18 years of age.\u00a0 The margin of error for the sample of parents is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFrom the minute we started talking to library patrons in this research, it was apparent that parents are a special cohort because of their affection for libraries, their deep sense that libraries matter to their children, and their own use of libraries,\u201d noted Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet Project. \u201cThey do more and they are eager for more library services of every kind \u2013 ranging from traditional stuff like books in stacks and comfortable reading spaces to high-tech kiosks and more e-books and mobile apps that would allow them to access library materials while they are on the go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Mothers stand out when it comes to reading and libraries<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than fathers, mothers in many respects are attached to their libraries, feel they are important for their children and their communities, and eager to see libraries expand and add new tech-related services.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reading habits: Mothers are more likely than fathers to read to their children every day (55% vs. 45%).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Overall, mothers read books somewhat more often than fathers. In the past 12 months, mothers read an average of 14 books (mean), compared with 10 for fathers. Book-reading mothers are more likely than fathers to have read a printed book in the past year (90% vs. 82%).<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Family use of library services and activities: Mothers are more likely than fathers to report that their children have visited the library in the past year (74% vs. 64%).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to parents\u2019 use of libraries, mothers are notably more engaged than fathers. They are more likely than fathers to have a library card, to have visited a library in the last 12 months, to have visited a library website in the past year, and to have visited a library website via mobile device.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among library users, mothers visit more frequently than fathers: 21% of library-sing mothers visit the library weekly, compared with 10% of library-using fathers who visit that frequently.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Importance of libraries: Mothers are more likely than fathers to say libraries are important to their communities (94% vs. 87%). And they are more likely than fathers to say libraries are important to them and their families (87% vs. 80%).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to their own children, mothers are more likely than fathers to say a major reason why libraries are important is because libraries help children develop a love of reading and books (90% vs. 77%). Mothers also are more likely to believe libraries offer their children access to information and resources they can\u2019t get at home or school (86% vs. 75%).<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lower income parents are more likely to view library services as very important<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to newer services that libraries might create, parents living in households earning less than $50,000 are more likely than parents in higher income households to say they would be \u201cvery likely\u201d to take advantage of:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>classes on how to download library e-books (44% vs. 29%)<\/li>\n<li>e-readers already loaded with library content (40% vs. 22%)<\/li>\n<li>digital media lab (40% vs. 28%)<\/li>\n<li>classes on how to use e-readers (34% vs. 16%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>In addition, parents in lower-income households are more likely to say it is important for libraries to offer librarians to help people, free access to computers and the internet, quiet study spaces, research resources, jobs and career materials, free events and activities, and free meeting spaces for the community.<\/i><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cParents\u2019 ties to libraries are all the more striking because parents are more likely than other adults to have computers, internet access, smartphones, and tablet computers,\u201d noted Kathryn Zickuhr, Research Analyst at the Pew Internet Project. \u201cThe presence of this technology in their lives might make them less reliant on libraries because they have access to information and media through other convenient platforms. But the opposite is the case \u2013 the more technology they have, the more they\u2019re likely to take advantage of library services.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This report is part of a broader effort by the Pew Research Center\u2019s Internet &amp; American Life Project that is exploring the role libraries play in people\u2019s lives and in their communities. The research is underwritten by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parents say libraries are very important places for their children because reading is a key part of parent-child interactions and libraries provide extra resources not available in their 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