Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2009-2010

Link to Executive Summary.

No surprises here for those of you who provide these services, or those, like Retiring Guy, who check the pulse of libraries on a daily basis.

Executive summary subject headings:

• Libraries Aid Job Seekers.
• E-Government Support Grows
• Funding Tightens
• Urban Libraries Under Pressure  [Editorial comment:  "Paging the National Summer Learning Association".]
• What's Next
• Conclusion:  Data from the 2009-2010 Study describe a mixed landscape and paradoxical environment. Libraries have expanded technology resources, particularly around workforce development and e-government, to meet rising demand, but many are hampered by outmoded buildings and funding reductions that threaten every aspect of service, including available staff and hours open. Public libraries need sustained support for their services to ensure that the safety net they provide to millions in the United States remains in place.