Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2009–2010 assesses public access to computers, the Internet, and Internet-related services in U.S. public libraries, and the impact of library funding changes on connectivity, technology deployment, and sustainability. The study builds on the longest-running and largest study of Internet connectivity in public libraries begun in 1994 by John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure.
The report provides information that can help library directors and library IT staff benchmark and advocate for technology resources in communities across the nation. The data are also of importance for policymakers at local, state, and federal levels, manufacturers of information and communication technologies, and the communities served by public libraries.
Navigate to the sections using the links below.
What's NEW: Data in Action! - Find helpful resources on how to use study findings for your local library and library supporters.
Press Resources | Final 2009-2010 Report | More Survey Findings | Online Extras - Maps, State Summaries
Press Resources
Libraries Connect Communities 2009-2010 Press Kit
Additional Press Materials
Media Mentions
Final 2009-2010 Report
Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2009-2010 report findings are being published as a digital supplement to American Libraries, the magazine of the American Library Association.
American Libraries Digital Supplement Summer 2010
Library Funding Landscape (PDF)
Library Technology Landscape (PDF)
Index: 2009-2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study
Appendix A: 2009-2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Survey Questionnaire
Appendix B: Interview Questions
Appendix C: Arizona public library interview participants
Appendix D: Tennessee public library interview participants
Survey Findings from the Center for Library & Information Innovation
For more information, please visit the Center for Library & Information Innovation at the University of Maryland.
Executive Summary and Methodology
Public Access to and Availability of Public Access Technology
Public Library Internet Connectivity Type, Speed, & Sufficiency
Internet-Enabled Services Provided by the Library and Patron Technology Training
Library E-government and Employment Services and Challenges
Library Funding (System-Level Findings)
Suggested study citation:
Davis, Denise M., John Carlo Bertot and Larra Clark. Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Study 2009-2010. Digital supplement of American Libraries magazine, June 2010. Available at http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/archives/digital-supplement/summer-2010-digital-supplement. ISBN 978-0-8389-9030-8
Online Extras
- E-Books map: 66 percent of public libraries report offering free access to e-books to library patrons; view the map to see how your state stacks up.
- E-Government map: 79 percent of public libraries provide assistance to patrons applying for and access e-government services; view the map to see how your state stacks up.
- Job resources map: 88 percent of public libraries provide access to job databases and other job opportunity resources; view the map to see how your state stacks up.
- Training resources map: 89 percent of public libraries provide formal or informal technology training to library patrons; view the map to see how your state stacks up.
- Wi-fi availability map: 82 percent of public libraries now offer this service, and some states (and the District of Columbia) report universal WiFi access in their public libraries. View the map to see how your state stacks up.
- Homework resources map: 88 percent of public libraries offer free homework resources to library patrons; view the map to see how your state stacks up.
State Summaries (.html)
For more information on the Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study or questions about the content on this page, please contact the Office for Research & Statistics.