Two-Thirds of Americans Have a Library Card

Three Quarters of those with a library card have used library in past year

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – September 22, 2008 – September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and two thirds (68%) of Americans currently own a library card. According to the results of a new nationwide Harris Poll of 2,710 U.S. adults surveyed online between August 11 and 17, 2008 by Harris Interactive^®:

Certain groups are more likely to have a library card then others – Echo Boomers (those between 18-31) are more likely to have one over other age categories (70% versus 68-65%); women over men (73% versus 62%); Hispanics over African Americans and Whites (72% versus 67% and 66%); Midwesterners (72%) and Westerners (71%) over Easterners (65%) and Southerners (63%);
Politically there is also a difference as Democrats are more likely to have a library card over Republicans and Independents (71% versus 67% and 61%); and,
Over one-third (35%) of people with a library card have used the library 1 to 5 times in the past year and 15 percent have used it more than 25 times in the past year.

This non-commissioned survey, which was conceived and developed by Harris Interactive with valuable input from the American Library Association (ALA), also found that among those people who do have a library card, there are different ways to use the library and different things to do at the library:

Three quarters (76%) of those with a library card visited their libraries last year, while two in five (41%) visited their library online;
While libraries now offer many different services for patrons, the favorite is still checking out books -- two in five (39%) people with a library card say this is one of the top two things for which they use a library, about one in ten (12%) use the library for borrowing CDs, videos or computer software, 10 percent use a computer to see what the library has available, 9 percent use reference materials and 8 percent use libraries to connect to the Internet; and
Among those who do not have a library card, over one-quarter of those (27%) say it is because they don’t use or visit the library. Additionally, 16 percent say it is because they don’t need or want one and 12 percent because they purchase books. Women are more likely then men (15% vs. 9%) to say they don’t have a library card because they buy books;

Whether they use the library or not, all Americans have a point of view about their local library:

Almost all Americans (92%) say they view their local library as an important education resource. Seven in ten agreed their local library is a pillar of the community (72%), a community center (71%), a family destination (70%), and a cultural center (69%);
Overall, people are satisfied with their public library. Based on everything they either know or might have heard or read, three in five Americans (59%) are extremely or very satisfied with their public library and an additional one in five (22%) are somewhat satisfied; and,
Among those that have a library card, the satisfaction is even higher -- over two-thirds (68%) say they are extremely or very satisfied and an additional one in five (22%) are somewhat satisfied with their public library. Even those who do not have a library card express satisfaction with their libraries as two in five (40%) are extremely or very satisfied while 21 percent are somewhat satisfied.

So What?

According to Jim Rettig, ALA President, "America’s 16,543 public libraries offer a wealth of resources – from preschool literacy to homework help to computer classes. Libraries bridge the divide between those who have access to information and those who do not by providing free and equal access to information to people of all ages and backgrounds."

According to Regina A. Corso, Director of The Harris Poll, "Two-thirds of Americans are currently taking advantage of their library resources and among all Americans it is clear the educational aspect of libraries is recognized as such an important source in the community."

"Because libraries bring access to all, they bring opportunity to all," Rettig said. "Your library card is the smartest card you can own and one of the best gifts you can give your child. It can’t break, won’t wear out and won’t be outgrown."

TABLE 1

WHO A LIBRARY CARD – BY DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP

"Do you have a library card?"

Summary of Yes Responses

Base: All adults

	Total
	%
All Adults	68
Sex
Male	62
Female	73
Age
Echo Boomers (18 – 31)	70
Generation X (32 – 43)	68
Baby Boomers (44 – 62)	67
Matures (63+)	65
Race/Ethnicity
White	66
African American	67
Hispanic	72
Region
East	65
Midwest	72
South	63
West	71
Household Income
Less than $35,000	68
$35,000 to $49,999	66
$50,000 to $74,999	69
$75,000 and over	69
Education
High School or less	61
Some college	72
College graduate	75
Post graduate	75
Political Party
Republican	67
Democrat	71
Independent	63

TABLE 2

WHY PEOPLE DON’T HAVE A LIBRARY CARD

"Why do you not have a library card?"

Base: Do not have a library card

	Total	Gender
	Total	Men	Women
	%	%	%
Don’t use/visit the library	27	29	24
Don’t need/want one	16	19	13
Buy books	12	9	15
Use Internet	9	10	7
Inconvenience (no car, too far away, inconvenient hours)	8	7	8
Lost/have expired card	4	4	3
Don’t read/Don’t like to read	3	4	1
Just moved here/Never got one after I moved	3	2	3
Lack of time	3	2	4
Someone else in my family has one	3	3	2
Poorly stocked/unhappy with selection/unhappy with management of library	2	2	3
Access to school/university/another library	2	2	2
Other	7	5	14
No reason	7	6	7
Don’t know	3	3	3

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 3

FREQUENCY OF LIBRARY USE

"About how many times during the past year have you visited or used the public library or public library services?"

Base: Have library card

	In person	By computer
	%	%
1-5 times	35	20
6-10 times	14	7
11-25 times	12	5
26 or more times	15	9
Have not used in past year	20	49
Not sure	3	8

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 4

USING THE LIBRARY

"Thinking back over the last year, which of the following were the top two things you used the library for?"

Base: Have a library card

	Total	Region
	Total	East	Midwest	South	West
	%	%	%	%	%
Take out books (e-books or books on paper or tape)	39	39	43	36	41
Take out CDs, videos, or computer software	12	8	16	10	14
Use a computer to see what the library has available	10	9	11	9	13
Use reference materials like the encyclopedia	9	10	9	8	9
Connect to the Internet	8	8	9	7	7
Read newspapers or magazines	6	4	8	4	7
Consult the librarian	4	6	3	4	4
Check email	4	5	3	4	5
Hear a speaker, see a movie or attend a special program	2	2	2	3	1
Use a computer to write a paper or prepare a resume	2	2	1	2	2
Take a class or workshop	1	2	*	1	1
Take a class to learn how to use online library services (e.g. search engines, genealogy databases, financial databases, etc.)	1	2	*	1	*
Take a class to improve computer skills (e.g. word processing)	1	1	*	1	*
Other	5	5	6	4	5
None of these	44	45	40	49	41

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.

Note: * indicates less than 0.5%

TABLE 5

VIEWING LOCAL LIBRARY

"As you think about your library, how important are the following statements for how you view your local library?"

Base: All adults

	IMPORTANT (NET)	Very Important	Somewhat important	NOT IMPORTANT (NET)	Not that Important	Not at all Important
	%	%	%	%	%	%
As a valuable education resource	92	64	28	8	4	3
As a pillar of the community	72	31	41	28	19	9
As a community center	71	28	43	29	19	10
As a family destination	70	33	37	30	20	10
As a cultural center	69	26	43	31	22	10

TABLE 6

SATISFACTION WITH LIBRARY

"Overall, thinking of your public library, based on what you know or have heard or read, how satisfied are you with your public library?"

Base: All adults

	Total	Generation				Have library card
	Total	Echo Boomers (18-31)	Gen X (32-43)	Baby Boomers (44-62)	Matures (63+)	Have	Do not have
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
EXTREMELY/VERY SATISFIED (NET)	59	53	57	60	70	68	40
Extremely satisfied	20	14	17	21	30	25	9
Very satisfied	39	38	40	38	41	43	31
Somewhat satisfied	22	26	22	23	14	22	21
A LITTLE/NOT AT ALL SATISFIED (NET)	6	5	7	7	4	5	8
Only a little satisfied	4	4	5	4	2	4	4
Not at all satisfied	2	1	2	2	2	1	3
Not sure	13	16	14	11	12	5	30

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.

Methodology

This Harris Poll^® was conducted online within the United States between August 11 and 17, 2008, among 2,710 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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