Deadline for Public Library Funding and Technology Access survey extended to March 1

Contact: Larra Clark

Office for Research & Statistics

Project Manager

312-280-3228

For Immediate Release

February 6, 2007

Deadline for Public Library Funding and Technology Access
survey extended to March 1

(CHICAGO) The American Library Association (ALA) has extended the response deadline for the new Public Library Funding and Technology Access study to March 1. The multi-year survey seeks information from public libraries regarding their Internet connectivity, public computing, technology training, and other public library roles as public access technology centers in their communities.

The study, funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and managed by ALA Office for Research & Statistics Director Denise M. Davis, continues work by John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure since 1994.   It provides important information for policymakers, ALA, and library advocates regarding public library Internet and public computing needs and issues. 

“The success of the survey rests largely on the overall and individual state response rates,” Davis said. “Our goal is to achieve a response rate of 70 percent in each state.  We encourage all public libraries to log on to our survey page and provide us with the information we need to create the most complete picture possible of technology in our nation’s public libraries. Our thanks also to all the libraries that already have completed the survey.”

Libraries can log on and fill out the survey at http://survey.pnmi.com/.

Preliminary results from the study will be available at the ALA 2007 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., June 21-27.

For more information on the study, please visit http://www.ala.org/plinternetfunding.