Section 2: Public Libraries’ Importance and Impact

Importance of public library services

Overall, 91% of Americans either have ever used a public library or said another household member uses a public library.⁴ We asked these respondents who have personal or family experiences with libraries a series of questions about how important they consider various library services, including various library resources and activities.

There are notable patterns in many of the answers about the importance of library services among those who have personal or family experiences with public libraries. In general, women, African-Americans and Hispanics, adults who live in lower-income households, and adults with lower levels of educational attainment are more likely than other groups to say these services are “very important.”  Those ages 30-64 are more likely than younger or older respondents to say many of the services are “very important,” as are parents with minor children. Urban residents with library experiences are more likely than rural residents to say some services are “very important” to them.

Adults 65 and older are the age group most likely to say that none of these library services are very important to them, and generally rate most services as less important overall. For instance, among those ages 65 and older with some public library experience,65% say that having a quiet and safe place to spend time at the library is important to them and their families overall, compared with 75% of all respondents who say this is important.

Even in cases where a majority or plurality of seniors say the services are important to them, their level of enthusiasm is considerably lower than younger Americans. For example, senior citizens with library experience by a 72%-26% margin say that access to free books and media is important to them – a 46-point spread. On the other hand, those ages 30-49 say such access is important by an 85%-14% margin – a 71-point gap.

Individual library services

In addition to our basic demographic analyses, we also explored responses based on a variety of life situations and technology use factors, many of which are strongly correlated with lower households incomes and lower levels of education. These include searching for a job, living with a disability, or lacking home internet access, and are discussed in further detail below.

Using the internet, computers, or printers at a public library

• 42% of those who are currently looking for a job say this is “very important” to them and their families, and 68% of job-seekers say it is either important or very important overall.
• 43% of those living with a disability say this is “very important” (67% say it is important overall), as well as 48% of those with a health problem that makes reading difficult (69% say this is important to them and their families overall).⁵
• 56% of internet users without home access say this is “very important” to them and their family, and 77% say it is important overall.

Having a quiet and safe place to spend time, read, or study at the library

• 61% of job seekers say this having a quiet and safe place to spend time, read, or study at a library is “very important” to them and their families, compared with 49% of respondents who are not currently looking for a job.

Library assistance in applying for government programs, permits, or licenses

• Among those with recent library experience who are unemployed but not retired, 37% say library assistance in applying for government programs, permits or licenses is “very important” to them and their families.
• 40% of those living with a disability say library assistance is “very important,” compared with 27% of those without a disability.

Help finding or applying for a job

• 47% of job seekers say receiving help at the library in finding or applying for a job is “very important” to them and their families.
• 42% of those with a health problem that makes reading difficult say receiving help at the library in finding or applying for a job is “very important” to them and their families.

Getting help from a librarian finding information

• 49% of those not in the workforce say receiving assistance from a librarian in finding information is “very important” (including 47% of retired respondents).
• Those living with a disability (56%) or with a health problem that makes reading difficult (59%) are also more likely than others to say that librarian assistance is “very important” to them and their families.

Finally, internet users who lack home internet access are more likely than other respondents to say all of these services are “very important” to them and their families. Non-internet users are also more likely than internet users with home access to say that many of these services are “very important.”

Impact of a local public library closing

About two-thirds (67%) of Americans ages 16 and older said that if their local public library closed, it would affect them and their families. Some 29% of Americans said that such a closer would have a “major” personal impact, and 38% said it would have a “minor” impact. Another 32% said their library’s closing would have “no impact” on them and their families.

Women, adults ages 30-64, and parents are among the groups most likely to say that their local public library’s closing would have a “major” impact on them and their families. Many other groups are also more likely to say their library’s closing would have a major personal impact:

• Adults who have not graduate high school are particularly likely to say that their library’s closure would have a major impact on them and their family (35%).
• Adults living in households earning less than $30,000 per year are the most likely of any income group to say that their library’s closure would have a major impact on them and their family (34%).
• 37% of those living with a disability say it would have a major personal impact, compared with 28% of other respondents.
• Unemployed respondents are more likely than employed respondents to say that their local public library’s closing would have a “major” impact on them and their families (31% vs 28%)

The vast majority (90%) of Americans said that the closing of their local public library would impact their community as a whole, with 63% saying it would have a major impact and 27% said it would have a minor impact. Just 7% said it would have “no impact” on their community.

Women are more likely to say their local public library’s closing would have a major impact on the community than men (70% 55%), and adults ages 30 and older are more likely than younger respondents to say there would be a major impact.

Meanwhile, parents are more likely than non-parents to say their library’s closure would have a major impact, and adults with at least some college experience are more likely to say there would be at least a minor impact overall, compared with those with lower levels of education.