Most have library cards
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- September
- 23
A new national poll touts that nearly 70 percent of Americans have library cards. This being September, otherwise known as Library Card Sign-Up Month, librarians are urging those in the roughly 30 percent category to come onboard.
Do you have one of these? If not, this month is the time to sign up. Having a card allows you to take out books and videos, reserve items, check things online, use computer terminals in the library, attend programs and lots of other services from your community library. These are just sample cards from Putnam, Westchester and Rockland county libraries. So, if something similar is not in your wallet, you are missing out on local services.
HarrisInteractive surveyed 2,710 U.S. adults online between August 11 and 17 and released these conclusion Monday:
•Certain groups are more likely to have a library card then others – Echo Boomers (those between 18-31) are more likely to have one over other age categories (70% versus 68-65%); women over men (73% versus 62%); Hispanics over African Americans and Whites (72% versus 67% and 66%); Midwesterners (72%) and Westerners (71%) over Easterners (65%) and Southerners (63%);
•Politically there is also a difference as Democrats are more likely to have a library card over Republicans and Independents (71% versus 67% and 61%); and,
•Over one-third (35%) of people with a library card have used the library 1 to 5 times in the past year and 15 percent have used it more than 25 times in the past year.
According to Regina A. Corso, Director of The Harris Poll, “Two-thirds of Americans are currently taking advantage of their library resources and among all Americans it is clear the educational aspect of libraries is recognized as such an important source in the community.”
The survey also notes that three quarters (76%) of those with a library card visited their libraries last year, while two in five (41%) visited their library online.
And, whether they use the library or not, all Americans have a point of view about their local library: Almost all Americans (92%) say they view their local library as an important education resource. Seven in ten agreed their local library is a pillar of the community (72%), a community center (71%), a family destination (70%), and a cultural center (69%).
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at 11:32 am by Barbara Nackman.
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