Online Search

This presentation focuses on the Project's findings about the role of libraries when Americans are trying to solve problems.

62% of all Americans are part of a wireless, mobile population that participates in digital activities away from home or work.

Where do you turn when you have a problem? Family and friends? Experts? Internet searches? Libraries?
We asked those and a variety of other questions on a recent survey and found some surprising things.

There are several major findings in this report. One is this: For help with a variety of common problems, more people turn to the internet than consult experts or family members to provide information and resources.

The practice of "googling" someone is becoming more widespread in today's search engine-driven world.

83% of online Americans say they have used the internet to seek information about their hobbies and 29% do so on a typical day.

Keeping an eye on the Dr. Google vs. Dr. Microsoft horserace.

What if your search queries for the last 18 months were archived along with your IP address? Would anything embarrassing come up, like how many times you searched for your own name or the name of your ex?

36% of online American adults consult Wikipedia

Nearly two in five adult internet users in the U.S. (39%) have gone online to look for information about a place to live, up from 34% in 2004 and 27% in 2000.