Oconomowoc Public Library calendar
Ranked by percentage change in annual program attendance 2017-2018, high to low
Related posts:
10/24/2018 update starts here
Ranked in order by percentage change in annual program attendance from 2009 to 2017, minus to plus.
11/17/2017 update starts here.
9/5/2016 update starts here.
Original 10/10/2015 post starts here.
How libraries rank
Related reading:
Libraries at the Crossroads. (Pew Research Center, 9/15/2015)
- Summary
- Public wants libraries to advance education, improve digital literacy and serve key groups (bar graph()
- The big questions: What should happen to the books? What should happen to the buildings?
- Growing public support for moving some books and stacks to create space for community and tech services (line graph)
- Large percentages of Americans see libraries as part of the educational ecosystem and as resources for promoting digital and information literacy.
- Many believe libraries should be pathways to economic opportunity, especially when it comes to providing resources for business development, jobs search and enhancing workforce skills.
- Many think closing their local public library would effect their communities, and a third say it would have a major impact on them and their families.
- Civic activists are more likely to use libraries (bar graph)
- A majority of Americans say libraries should provide services to help recent immigrants, veterans and active-duty military personnel.
- Many view public libraries as important resources for finding health information and some conduct such services using libraries' online access resources.
- Low-income Americans, Hispanics and African-Americans are more likely to say that libraries impact their lives and communities than other Americans.
Public Libraries and Hispanics. (Pew Research Center, 3/17/2015)
- From "Note on Terminology". The terms “Latino” and “Hispanic” are used interchangeably in this report.
- Foreign-born Hispanics use libraries less than U.S.-born Hispanics, whites and blacks. (bar graph)
- Immigrant Hispanic library users rate library services highest
- (table)
- Hispanic immigrants see major impact of library closing on their families and their communities more than others (bar graph)
- Public Opinion About Libraries (white, black, Hispanic)
- Overall positive feelings about libraries (bar graph)
- Accessing public libraries
- Who are the Hispanic library users?
- How Latinos consume information
- Ease of finding information
- Full report
Younger Americans and Public Libraries. (Pew Research Center, 9/10/2014)
- Summary of findings
- There are actually three different “generations” of younger Americans with distinct book reading habits, library usage patterns, and attitudes about libraries.
- Millennials’ lives are full of technology, but they are more likely than their elders to say that important information is not available on the internet.
- Millennials are quite similar to their elders when it comes to the amount of book reading they do, but young adults are more likely to have read a book in the past 12 months.
- The community and general media-use activities of younger adults are different from older adults.
- As a group, Millennials are as likely as older adults to have used a library in the past 12 months, and more likely to have used a library website.
- As with the general population, most younger Americans know where their local library is, but many say they are unfamiliar with all the services it may offer.
- A Demographic Portrait of Younger America
- Student status (table)
- Employment (table)
- Students' education level (table)
- Younger Americans' Reading Habits and Technology Use
- How often do you read a book, including print, audiobooks, and e-books? (table)
- Reading habits among young Americans (table)
- Most readers say they purchase most of the books they read (table)
- Other activities and media consumption
- Community activities (table)
- Entertainment and media activities (table)
- Technology habits and views
- Technology use and gadget ownership (with table)
- Views about the Internet (with table)
- Younger Americans' Relationships with Public Libraries
- Public library use
- Recent public library use (table)
- Total public library use (table)
- Visited a public library in person in the past year, over time (table)
- Used a public library website in the past year, over time (table)
- Frequency of library visits among Americans 16+ who visited a library in the past year (table)
- Frequency of library website usage (table)
- Frequency of library visits among Americans who have ever visited a library (table)
- Experiences with libraries
- How long have you lived in the neighborhood where you live now? (table)
- Do you know where the closest public library is to where you live? (table)
- Younger Americans are less likely to know about "all or most" of the services and programs at their local public libraries (table)
- Most describe public library's physical condition positively (table)
- Views on the evolving role of public libraries in their communities
- Younger age groups less likely to say their local public library's closing would have a major impact on their family or community (bar graph)
- Importance of library services
- How important are these public services to you and your family? (bar graph)
- How important are these public services to you and your family? (table)
- Broader views about libraries
- Younger Americans' views on public libraries' roles in their communities (bar graph)
- Views on public libraries' roles in their communities (bar graph)
- Views on public libraries and technology (bar graph)
- "Public libraries are important because they promote literacy and love of reading." (% who strongly agree; table)
- "Because it provides free access to materials and resources, the public library plays an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed." (% who strongly agree; table)
- "Having a public library improves the quality of life in a community." (% who strongly agree; table)
- "Public libraries provide many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere." (% who strongly agree; table)
- "People do not need public libraries as much as they used to because they can find most information on their own," (% who strongly agree; table)
- "Public libraries have not done a good job in keeping up with new technologies." (% who strongly agree; table)
From Distant Admirers to Library Lovers -- and Beyond. (Pew Research Center, 3/13/2014)
- Summary of Findings
- Broad themes and major findings
- Public library users and proponents are not a niche group
- Americans' library habits do not exist in a vacuum
- Life stage and special circumstances are linked to library use and higher engagement with information
- The spectrum of public library engagement in America
- High engagement
- Library Lovers (10%)
- Information Omnivores (20%)
- Medium engagement
- Solid Center (30%)
- Print Traditionalists (9%)
- Low engagement
- Not for Me (4%)
- Young and Restless (7%)
- Rooted and Roadblocked (7%)
- Non-engagement
- Distant Admirers (10%)
- Off the Grid (4%)
- Typology snapshot: Groups by level of engagement with public libraries (pie graph)
- Public library engagement: Group overviews (table)
- Group portraits (each of 9 includes the following information)
- Overview
- Who they are
- Lifestyle
- Relationship with libraries
- General patterns in Americans' engagement with libraries
- Socioeconomic status
- Parenthood
- Ties to learning acquisition
- Broader trends in Americans' information habits
- Acquiring information is often a social process in which trusted helpers matter
- Technology use is not so much a substitute for "offline" activities as it is an enhancement tool
- Libraries score high ease of access and use -- even among those who are not frequent users
- There are people who have never visited a library who still have positive views of public libraries and their roles in their communities
- High Engagement
- High engagement groups (pie graph)
- Library lovers visit libraries more than information omnivores (column graph)
- Library Lovers
- Overview
- Library Lovers' recent public library usage (column graph)
- Who they are
- Gender
- Age
- Income and jobs
- Education
- Marriage and parenting
- A demographic portrait (series of column graphs)
- Other lifestyle notes
- Library lovers: Where they live (column graphs)
- Library lovers' community activities (column graph)
- Technology and information habits
- Library Lovers' technology profile (table)
- Defining information traits
- Library Lovers' information habit (column graph)
- Library Lovers' views about.... (tables)
- Learning new information
- Ease of finding information
- East of completing tasks
- Relationship to public libraries
- Public library use and experience
- Library Lovers' public library usage (column graph)
- How well-informed do you feel about the services your public library offers (column graph)
- Public library attitudes
- Views about public libraries in the community (table)
- Views about public libraries and technology (table)
- Most Library Lovers say local library's closing would have a major impact (column graph)
- The importance of individual library services (table)
- Information Omnivores (same general format as above)
- Medium Engagement (same general format)
- Low Engagement (same general format)
- Low engagement groups vary in the view of public library (column graph)
- Few Young and Restless know where the closest public library is to where they live (column graph()
- Low engagement group differ in their in the perceptions of the impact of local public library's closing (column graph)
- Few Not for Me say local library's close would have major impact on community (column graph)
- Most Rooted and Roadblocked members have lived in their current neighborhood for at least 11 years. (column graph)
- Non-engagement. (same general format)
- Over half of those Off the Grid did not read any books in the past year (column graph)
How Americans Value Public Libraries in Their Communities. (Pew Internet, 12/11/2013)
- The important of public libraries to their communities
- If your local library closed, what impact would that have on you and your family? On your community? ( bar graph)
- Though many libraries are seen as important, there are varying levels of enthusiasm for different services
- How important are these services to you and your family? (list of 9; bar graph)
- Most Americans know where their local library is, but many are unfamiliar with all the services they offer
- How well informed do you feel about the different services your public library offers? (bar graph)
- 54% of Americans have used a library in the past 12 months and 72% live in a "library household"
- Most Americans who have ever used a library have had positive experiences
Parents, Children, and Libraries. (Pew Internet, 5/1/2013)
- Part 1: A profile of parents
- Demographic profile of a sample of parents vs. national parameters (table)
- Demographic profile of parents and other adults (table)
- Part 2: Parents and reading
- Reading frequency for parents and other adults (table)
- Types of books read in past 12 months differs for parents and other adults (column graph)
- Part 3: Parents and reading to children
- How often parents read to children, by age of youngest child (table)
- Characteristics of parents who read to their child every day (table)
- Parents say reading print books is very important to their children (pie graph)
- Part 4: Parents and libraries
- How important libraries are to individuals and their communities
- How important libraries are to parents
- How important are libraries (bar graph)
- Library use among parents and other adults (table)
- Characteristics of parents by library patronage (table)
- Recollection of library use by family members and experiences at libraries
- Overall library experiences are positive for almost all Americans (bar graph)
- Parents are more likely to have a library (bar graph)
- Changes in library use in recent years
- Changes in library use (bar graph)
- The main reasons parents' library use has increased in the past 5 years (table)
- Frequency of library visits, parents and other adults (bar graph)
- Activities at libraries
- What parents do at libraries (bar graph)
- How often people get help from library staff (bar graph)
- How helpful was library staff (bar graph)
- How much people know about what their library offers
- How much do you feel like you know about the different services and programs your public library offers? (bar graph)
- How much do parents know about the different services and programs the public library offers? (bar graph)
- Part 5: Parents, children and libraries
- Parents value libraries for their children
- Importance of libraries to parents (bar graph)
- How important are libraries for children (bar graph)
- Reason for importance of libraries (bar graph)
- Parents who say each is a MAJOR reason libraries are important (table)
- Library use by children (table)
- Frequency of children's visits to library in past 12 months (pie graph)
- Child's age makes a difference in how library is used (column graph)
- Parents' experiences (focus group responses)
- Community
- Responsibility (Several parents in our focus groups said that they wanted their children to use the library so that they could learn about personal responsibility, as well as how to act appropriately in public spaces.)
- Safety
- Part 6: Parents and library service
- What is important for libraries to offer
- What parents think is important for libraries to offer (bar graph)
- Parents who say EACH is important for libraries to offer (table)
- Public priorities for libraries
- What services and program libraries should (and should not) implement (bar graph)
- Parents are more likely than other adults to support a few changes to library service (bar graph)
- The new services peoplel say they would and would not use
- How likely say they would be to use various library service (bar graph)
- Parents are more likely than other adults to say they would use new library offerings (bar graph)
- Parents of teenagers are more likely than other parents to say they would use some of these library services (column graph)
- Part 7. Librarians' thoughts
- Early childhood literacy and programs for children
- Coordinating with schools
- Tutoring and help with schoolwork
- E-books & tablets
- Interactive experiences
- On reaching parents
- On using space in the library
- Libraries as general information resource for parents
- What libraries should change
Library Services in the Digital Age. (Pew Internet, 1/22/2013)
- Part 1: The role of libraries in people's lives and communities
- Family members' library use from childhood
- Did anyone else in your family use public libraries when you were growing up? (table)
- Americans' library use
- Have you ever visited a library or bookmobile in person? (table)
- Visited a library in-person in the last year? (table)
- A snapshot of Americans' library use habits (table)
- Experiences at public libraries are positive
- How important libraries are to individuals and their communities
- How important are libraries to you and your family?
- How important are libraries? (bar graph)
- Libraries' importance to the community as a whole
- How important are libraries? (table)
- Part 2: What people do at libraries and library websites
- Activities at libraries
- (bar graph)
- Browse the shelves for books or media
- Borrow print books
- Research topics that interest them
- Get help from a librarian
- Sit, read and study, or watch or listen to media
- Use a research database
- Attend or bring a younger person to a class, program, or event designed for children or teens
- Borrow a DVD or videotape of a movie or TV show
- Read or check out printed magazines or newspapers
- Attend a meeting of a group
- Attend a class, program or lecture for adults
- Borrow or download an audiobook
- Borrow a music CD
- How frequently people receive assistance from library staff
- (bar graph)
- by race/ethnicity
- by household income
- Use of library websites
- Changes in library use in recent years
- The main reasons patrons' library use has changed in recent years (table)
- Technology users and library use
- Tech users more likely than non-tech users to say they use the library less than they used to (bar graph)
- Part 3: Technology use at libraries
- Those who have used free internet and computers in their communities (table)
- Use of computers and the internet at libraries
- Internet use at libraries (table)
- How important is free internet use at libraries?
- Part 4: What people want from their libraries
- How much people know about what their libraries offer
- How much do you feel like you know about the different services and programs your public library offers? (bar graph)
- What is important for libraries to offer?
- What people think is important for libraries to offers? (bar graph)
- Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to see various library services as 'very important' (bar graph)
- Women are more likely than men to see various library services as 'very important' (bar graph)
- Examples
- Librarians to help people find information they need
- Borrowing books
- Free access to computers and the Internet
- Quiet study spaces for adults and children
- Programs and classes for children and teens
- Research resources such as free databases
- Job, employment, and career resources
- Free events and activities, such as classes and cultural events, for all ages
- Free public meeting spaces
- Public priorities for libraries
- What services and programs ;libraries should (and should not) implement (bar graph)
- Coordinate more closely with schools in providing resources to kids
- Offer free early literacy programs to help young children prepare for school
- Have completely separate locations or spaces for different services
- Have more comfortable spaces for reading, working, and relaxing at the library
- Offer a broader selection of e-books
- Offer more interactive learning experiences similar to museum exhibits
- Help users digitize materials such as family photos or historical documents
- Have most library service online so users can access them without having to visit the library
- Make most services automated
- Move some print books and stacks out of the library to free up more space
- The new services people say they would (and would not) use
- How likely American say they would be to use various library services (bar graph)
- Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to say they would use the following services (bar graph)
- Examples
- An online research service where you could post questions and get responses from librarians
- A program that allowed people to try out the newest tech devices or applications
- Personalized online accounts that give you customized recommendations for books and services based on your past library activity
- A cell phone app that allows you to access and use library services from your phone and see what programs the library offers
- Library kiosks located throughout the community where people can check out books, movies or music without having to go to the library itself
- A cell phone app that helps you locate material within the library by guiding you with GPS
- E-book readers already loaded with the book you want to read
- A digital media lab where you could create and upload new digital content like movies or your own e-books
- Classes on how to download e-books to handheld devices
- Classes or instruction on how to use handheld reading devices like e-book readers and tablet computers
- Part 5: The present and the future of libraries
- Libraries' strengths
- What should be libraries' 'guiding principle'?
- Things to change
- Library innovations
- Roadblocks and concerns
Reading & Library Habits in Different Communities. (Pew Research Center, 12/20/2012)
- Urban/Suburban/Rural
- Book readers
- Device owners
- Among e-book readers
- Purposes for reading
- Library activities
- Where people get book recommendations
Younger Americans’ Reading and Library Habits. (Pew Internet, 10/23/2012)
- General reading habits
- Book readers by age (graph)
- Book formats read in the past year, by age group (graph)
- E-books beyond e-readers (graph)
- How e-content has affected younger Americans' reading habits
- When to borrow, when to buy
- Thinking about the last book you read, in any format, did you... (graph)
- Library use
- Library use in the past year (table)
- How important is the public library to you and your family? (graph)
- How library patrons' habits have changed since they began borrowing e-books
- Library patrons' experiences with e-book borrowing
- How they find out about e-books
- The checkout process
- Non e-book borrowers
Libraries, patrons, and e-books. (Pew Internet, 6/22/2012)
- Part 1: An introduction to the issues surrounding libraries and e-books:
- The strained relationship between libraries and publishers
- The current state of play between libraries and publishers
- The rise of Amazon
- Part 2: Where patrons discover and get their books
- The way people prefer to get books in general: To buy or to borrow?
- Where did the most recent book come from?
- A closer look at libraries
- The e-book ecosystem: Where do e-book readers start their search?
- Part 3: Library users
- Demographics
- How important are libraries?
- Library users are more engaged with all kinds of reading
- Part 4: How people used the library in the past year
- Book-borrowing patterns
- Print books
- Audiobooks
- E-book borrowers
- Using the library for research
- Research resources and periodicals
- Get research help from a librarian
- Part 5: Libraries in transition
- How patrons' book-borrowing habits are changing
- Librarians: Changes in library holdings
- The changing role of librarians
- The move to e-books
- Staff training
- Patron training
- Part 6: A closer look at e-book borrowing
- Overview of responses in our online panel
- Checking out e-books
- How they find out about the process
- The checkout process
- Checking out e-books: The good, the bad, and Overdrive
- Selection of e-books in libraries
- Issues patrons have encountered
- Availability
- Waiting lists
- Compatibility
- Other issues
- The main things librarians hear
- How to improve the process for the future
- Librarians and publishers
- Part 7: Non-e-book borrowers
- Why not borrow e-books?
- Help and training from librarians
