Web generation uses libraries more than others
Published: Mon, Dec. 31, 2007 12:00AM
Modified Mon, Dec. 31, 2007 06:30AM
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closeNEW YORK -- Young adults are the heaviest adult users of public libraries, despite the ease with which they can access a wealth of information over the Internet from the comfort of their homes, according to a new study.
That's especially true for people who had questions related to health conditions, job training, government benefits and other problems.
Twenty-one percent of Americans age 18-30 with such questions have turned to public libraries, compared with about 12 percent among the general adult population.
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Education-related tasks -- such as making decisions about schooling, paying for it and getting job training -- are among the most common issues drawing people to libraries, according to a joint study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
And people are going to libraries not only to use the Internet but also for library reference books, newspapers and magazines.
"The age of books isn't yet over," said Lee Rainie, Pew's director.
The study found that library use drops gradually as people age -- 62 percent among those 18-30 compared with 32 percent among those 72 and up, with a sharp decline just as Americans turn 50.
"It was truly surprising in this survey to find the youngest adults are the heaviest library users," Rainie said.
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