Pew Internet & American Life Project, et al
Scattered throughout this comprehensive report on where the public gets its information are statistics that form a surprising picture: Young adults ages 18 to 30 – members of the so-called “Generation Y” – are the heaviest users of public libraries, despite easy access to the Internet from their homes.
Twenty-one percent of Generation Y respondents said they had turned to public libraries to answer questions about health conditions, job training, school enrollment, government benefits and other concerns, compared with about 12 percent of the general adult population. This despite the fact that more than three-quarters said they had also used the Internet to help deal with such issues. Nearly two-thirds of the Gen Y set said they regularly visit their public libraries, and 40 percent said they would do so again if they need help solving problems. Free. 43 pages. (202) 419-4500, www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/Pew_UI_LibrariesReport.pdf.
