The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release with
links to the report and a graph can be viewed on the agency's Web site
at http://www.imls.gov/pdf/Brief2010_01.pdf


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2009

IMLS Press Contacts 
202-653-4632

Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]

IMLS Announces New Research Brief: Service Trends in U.S. Public
Libraries, 1997-2007 

Washington, DC-The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
announces the release of a new research brief, Service Trends in U.S.
Public Libraries, 1997-2007. The brief identifies important changes
public libraries have made to address patron needs in an increasingly
Internet-centric environment and explores service differences in urban
and rural communities. 

A comparison of more than 11 years of Public Library Survey data
suggests that service changes in U.S. public libraries are having an
impact on visitation and circulation, as record numbers of people now
use public libraries nationwide. Several findings from the survey
include: 

* The availability of Internet terminals in public libraries rose
sharply between 2000 and 2007, increasing by 90 percent on a per capita
basis. This dramatic increase is one example of the way U.S. public
libraries are expanding their range of services to meet patron demand. 
* Between 1997 and 2007, per capita visits to public libraries increased
nationwide by 19 percent. During the same period per capita circulation
increased by 12 percent. This growth in demand for library services
occurred even as people increasingly turned to the Internet to meet
other information needs.
* The study identified very different trajectories between urban and
rural communities for select service trends, highlighting the importance
of local context for identifying patron needs and improving services.

Future research from the Office of Policy, Planning, Research and
Communication will examine library services in a variety of different
contexts from small towns and remote rural areas to central cities and
suburbs. This type of placed-based analysis can provide important
insight into the impact libraries have on their communities, while
building a stronger, evidence-based platform for planning library
services to meet local needs.

To read the research brief please go to:
http://www.imls.gov/pdf/Brief2010_01.pdf 

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services 
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.
The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that
connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the
national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to
sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and
innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about
the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

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