Emerging Research Findings:

Library Services

How can local practicing librarians better identify and meet the specific adult lifelong learning needs of the rapidly increasing minority population within their paticular community?

Public library systems are one of the most important sources of adult lifelong learning, especially in areas having a high concentration of low-income families and members of minority groups and new immigrants. These areas often offer fewer options for education and less access to information resources than other more affluent areas. Data from a nationwide survey of public library outlets that serve majority-minority markets suggests that different ethnic groups use the library differently than other groups. The needs of specialized populations are being missed because of the way that state and local library systems currently present data for policymaking decisions. Specialized needs are often lost when averaged with the majority service data. For example, wordprocessing is in much higher demand in libraries that serve low-income and African-Americans than in other ethnic groups. Additionally, computer useage accounts for a third of all in-library use in all the minority communities. This suggests that state and local library systems need to examine what is actually going on in local library outlets rather than make decisions based on an aggregate. In addition, attempts by federal agencies and state librarians to standardize the collection of information on electronic useage in libraries is of utmost importance.

Source: Christine Koontz, Florida State University, Market-Based Adult Lifelong Learning Performace Measures for Public Libraries Serving Lower Income and Majority-Minority Markets

This page last modified January 27, 2000 (kdj)