Americans tepid about libraries
Many Americans don’t use libraries, favor locally sourced food and would choose President Barack Obama over his predecessor George W. Bush if the two were vying in a presidential election.
A new 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll showed Obama ahead of Bush by 40 to 31 percent in a hypothetical race but 40 percent of the key independent voters, who are often said to decide elections, chose neither.
But libraries, apparently, are on the wane. Two thirds of people said they never go to the library, or do so only once or twice a year.
1,000 People out of 307 million
Libraries might be on the wane in some communities but not where I live. This study seems misleading.
Also, in the article it states that 1.033 adults were surveyed. There are 307 million people in the United States according to the most recent census. Also who knows who was interviewed for the survey. We’re saying libraries are in trouble because roughly 1% of the population surveyed said they don’t go to libraries?
I agree libraries need to make the public more aware of what they offer and I’m not saying libraries aren’t in trouble in certain areas, but library statistics countrywide are increasing as the economy worsens and people want to be able to get their entertainment and use the computer for free.
It does seem misleading. My
It does seem misleading. My community, like yours, has a very healthy, thriving library system.
Reality check
On one hand: 1,033 adults, with questions we don’t get to see, using a methodology we don’t get to know, not apparently done by a known polling company with reputable standards, with unknown sampling techniques.
On the other hand: Most public libraries continue to show growing attendance at programs, growing circulation, growing what have you–and most special levies for public libraries pass.
In other words, “what Anonymous sez.”
really good
33% using the library more than a couple of times a year is actually very good.
I agree.
So this means one out of every three people surveyed go to the library regularly, or at least more than once or twice a year? Sounds pretty good to me, actually!
it’s an online poll… not really scientific
just random clickers
hxxp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57330579/60-minutes-vanity-fair-poll-december-edition/?pageNum=4
survey says we’re all one-armed, mulleted, bear-huggers
if you check the other questions about whether you’d rather lose your arm or leg; which decade was the best (eighties); which animal should replace the bald eagle; then you see what type of person doesn’t use the library…