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January 02, 2008, 01:01 PM ET
Generation Y Reports Greater Library Use Than Older Groups
Students may not be abandoning libraries for the Internet, as some people have worried. The Pew Internet & American Life Project released a report Sunday that says Generation Y—18-to-30-year-olds, in particular—is more likely to turn to libraries to ferret out information than their older counterparts are.
Adults do use the Internet to gain information more than any other source, including government agencies and experts, according to the report. However, 18-to-30-year-olds said they used library resources—mostly computers—more than older groups.
Steve Bell, associate university librarian for research and instructional services at Temple University writes on ACRLog:
“Now although the report mostly deals with public-library use, I would bet that a good number of respondents in this age category have regular access to an academic library.”
Bell admits that it might be too soon to jump to this conclusion, and the Pew report concludes that libraries should work to better understand why information seekers might or might not use them. It could be, however, that rather than the Internet replacing libraries, it creates a new niche for them to fill. —Hurley Goodall
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