2012 Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study Press Kit

Magazine cover: Libraries Connect Communities, American Libraries Magazine

Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, 2011-2012, a new report released by the American Library Association (ALA) says strategic vision and careful management have helped U.S. public libraries weather the storm of the Great Recession, supporting their role as a lifeline to the technology resources and training essential to full participation in the nation’s economy. However, the report underscores the competing concerns that face America’s libraries: cumulative budget cuts which threaten access to libraries and services, increasing demand for technology training, and the chronic presence of the digital divide. [More]

Key Findings:

62% of libraries report that they are the only source of free Internet access in their communities.
91% of public libraries provide free Wi-Fi, and 74% of libraries report use of Wi-Fi increased in 2011.
76% of libraries offer access to e-books; 39% of libraries provide e-readers for check-out by patrons.
57% of libraries report flat or decreased operating budgets in FY2012.
For the third year in a row, 40% of state libraries report decreased state funding for public libraries.
65% of libraries report having an insufficient number of public computers to meet demand, this increases to 87% in urban libraries.

** More Key Findings (PDF)

Additional resources

Previous Studies

ALA’s Office for Research & Statistics

American Library Association Fact Sheet

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Library Initiatives

Artwork

(additional formats available upon request)