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SILS researchers complete study on the Internet’s Impact on Museums and Libraries
IMLS Announces Results at the 9th annual WebWise Conference in Miami, Fl
March 6, 2008 - Institute of Museum and Library Services Director Anne-Imelda Radice released results of InterConnections: A National Study of Users and Potential Users of Online Information March 6 at the 9th annual WebWise Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World in Miami. This new report offers insight into the ways people search for information in the online age, and how this impacts the ways they interact with public libraries and museums, both online and in person.
Mary Chute, IMLS deputy director of
Libraries, and Dean José-Marie Griffiths
at the 2008 WebWise Conference.
Museums and libraries are alive and well in the digital world!” Radice said. “The InterConnections report shows how people currently search for information and makes the case that the libraries and museums must provide service both online and in person.”
IMLS sponsored this national study through a cooperative agreement with a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill research team led by José-Marie Griffiths, dean of the School of Information and Library Science, and Donald W. King, distinguished research professor at the School, recognized leaders in information research. Their findings are based on five surveys of 1,000 to 1,600 adults each that were conducted during 2006. The study found that:
- Libraries and museums are the most trusted sources of online information among adults of all ages, education levels, races, and ethnicities. Libraries and museums rank higher in trustworthiness than all other information sources including government, commercial, and private Web sites. The study shows that the public trust of museums and libraries migrates to the online environment.
- The explosive growth of information available in the “Information Age” actually whets Americans’ appetite for more information. People search for information in many places and since the use of one source leads to others, museums, public libraries, and the Internet complement each other in this information-rich environment.
- The Internet is not replacing in-person visits to libraries and museums and may actually increase onsite use of libraries and museums. There is a positive relationship between Internet use and in-person visits to museums and public libraries.
The InterConnections report provides evidence that public libraries and museums are thriving in the Internet Age as trusted providers of information to people of all ages.
To view the report, please go to: http://interconnectionsreport.org
Researchers involved in the study include:
- José-Marie Griffiths (Principal Investigator)
Dean, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Donald W. King (Co-Principal Investigator)
Distinguished Research Professor, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Jeffrey Pomerantz (Co-Principal Investigator)
Assistant Professor, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Sarah E. Aerni
University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh - Scott R. Beach
Program Director, Survey Research, University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh - Songphan Choemprayong
Ph.D. Student, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Matthew Herbison
Research Assistant, Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA - Kathleen McClatchey
Senior Research Associate, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Janet Schlarb University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
University of North Carolina Press Contact
919-843-8337
Wanda Monroe, wmonroe@unc.edu