With the Internet such an important part of every day life, and some rural residents still struggling to get connected, if all else fails, the one solution that keeps popping up in stories -- applying for jobs, students preparing for standardized tests, enrolling in the Affordable Care Act -- is to visit your local library for Internet access. That has led the Institute for Museum and Library Services to conduct what is believed to be the first of its kind report on computer use at rural libraries. This seems like a report that could be replicated in every community.
The report found that from 2008 to 2011, the number of publicly accessible computers in rural libraries increased about 20 percent to 49,000, and computer use increased 6.7 percent, to 41.3 million uses, Tim Marema reports for the Daily Yonder. During the same period, use of publicly accessible computers in urban areas decreased 9.5 percent. The report states: "Rural areas have less access to broadband services than urban areas. In order to mitigate this disparity in access, rural libraries have made additional efforts to increase their electronic resources."
The report also found that more people visit rural libraries than urban ones. The average visitation per capita at rural libraries was 6.7 visits per year, while in urban areas it was 5.7 visits per capita. "The raw number of visits to urban libraries was about three times the number of visits to rural libraries, a reflection of the size of the population the libraries serve," Marema reports. To view the entire report click here. (Institute for Museum and Library Services map)
The report found that from 2008 to 2011, the number of publicly accessible computers in rural libraries increased about 20 percent to 49,000, and computer use increased 6.7 percent, to 41.3 million uses, Tim Marema reports for the Daily Yonder. During the same period, use of publicly accessible computers in urban areas decreased 9.5 percent. The report states: "Rural areas have less access to broadband services than urban areas. In order to mitigate this disparity in access, rural libraries have made additional efforts to increase their electronic resources."
The report also found that more people visit rural libraries than urban ones. The average visitation per capita at rural libraries was 6.7 visits per year, while in urban areas it was 5.7 visits per capita. "The raw number of visits to urban libraries was about three times the number of visits to rural libraries, a reflection of the size of the population the libraries serve," Marema reports. To view the entire report click here. (Institute for Museum and Library Services map)
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