Survey: Library technology important

COEUR d'ALENE - A recent survey of computer and technology users at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library indicates that such access is important in their lives.

Library patrons listed seeking employment, education opportunities, health information and social interaction as their top uses of the library's Internet service.

The Impact Survey was conducted for the library by The Information School at the University of Washington - at no cost to the library - from April 1-25.

Library computer users and anyone accessing the library website, both in the library and other locations, were asked to respond to the survey. There were 131 respondents starting at age 14.

"As using computers and the Internet has become a necessity across many facets of daily life," the survey report noted, "libraries serve as an important site for free access," to these services.

According to a Pew Institute report, four in 10 American adults do not have high-speed broadband service at home. A third of Americans ages 14 and older - 77 million people - use library computers and Internet services.

The Coeur d'Alene library has 56 public computers as well as wireless Internet access. Library staff members provide some computer assistance to users.

Computer literacy help sessions - ReTool Box - are offered by volunteers through the Library Foundation, and the library Internet Technology Coordinator offers workshops for word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheet software, using email and using Facebook.

Highlights from the survey include:

* 37 percent of public technology users indicated they had used public access technology for employment needs, 29 percent of users searched for a job online, and 22 percent applied for a job by submitting a resume or filling out a job application online.

* 28 percent of public technology users used public technology for educational activities and 16 percent of users completed coursework or homework using public access technology.

* 37 percent of public technology users used library technology to get information on health and wellness topics. Twenty-four percent reported learning about diet or nutrition; of those, 74 percent made a change to their diet.

* 37 percent of public technology users reported using library resources to stay in touch with family and friends and to build and maintain social networks.

* 46 percent of public access technology users also received help from a librarian when using the computers or Internet at the library. Of those users, 76 percent have access to the Internet at home, school, or work but still choose to use the library's technology. This shows the library offers critical resources and services even as people increasingly have their own Internet connections and devices.

Beyond using computers or accessing the library's WiFi with their own laptops, tablets and other devices, 97 percent of those taking the survey said they access the library's website - www.cdalibrary.org - either at the library or remotely.

More than 75 percent do so to use their own library accounts, to check on hours and location, and to access the library catalog.

More than 25 percent used the website to download e-books and e-audiobooks through the library's OverDrive system, and about 20 percent said they visit the website to use the library's other online resources and databases.

When asked if access to the library's computer resources is important, about 75 percent said it is important or very important to them and 92 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the technology services provided by the library.

The largest portion of those taking the survey, 32.8 percent, were ages 55 to 64 and 24.4 percent were 65 or older. Women were about 64 percent of those responding and 61 percent said they consider themselves to be low-income.