GENERATIONAL USE OF LIBRARIES

AgawamJoe

April 19, 2015

HOW ARE LIBRARIES SERVING THE GENERATIONS?

• Younger patrons have a different view of their public library

• New university students have a different view of their university library

• Younger generations do not see the library as the primary place to

gather information

• They start their information research with the internet and often end

there.

• Older generations are running the libraries

• Newer librarians are emerging but integration into the library work

force is uneven

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THE GENERATIONS IN THREE POINTS

Summary Findings

• Baby Boomers are competitive and idealistic, a generation

that has been able to focus on themselves.

• Generation Xers, by contrast, are skeptical and self-reliant.

They have seen their parents divorce and institutions fail.

• Millennials are technologically savvy, diverse, and have

been raised with a global media perspective.

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McCaffrey, E., & Garnar, M. (2006). Long-range planning across generational lines: Eight tips to

bridge the differences. College & Research Libraries News, 67(3), 144-164.

GENERATIONS COMPARED

4Becker, C. (2012). Student Values and Research: Are millenials really changing the future of reference and research?.

Journal Of Library Administration, 52(6/7), 474-497. doi:10.1080/01930826.2012.707948

LATER GENERATIONS ARE MORE TECH

DEPENDENT AND MORE COLLABORATIVE

Summary Findings

• Gen Xers more comfortable using

technology for learning.

• GenX sees computers as a part of life,

not a “technology”.

• Millenials more attuned to team work and

group learning compared to Boomers.

• Boomers used to working independently.

• Boomers use technology least of all.

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Oblinger, D. (2003) Boomers, Gen Xers & Millenials: Understanding the new students.

Educause. https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0342.pdf

LIBRARIAN STAFF CHALLENGES

• Boomer librarians find it difficult to connect with new,

younger Gen X librarians.

• Mentoring relationships are difficult due to gap.

• Boomers are still in charge but giving way to Millenials.

• Boomer differ on deploying information technologies

compared to Millenials or Gen X.

• Gen X sees the library as an interactive resource, and the

patrons are more like customers.

• Cohesive technology strategies difficult to formulate.

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LIBRARIANS IN EACH GENERATION

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Lancaster, L. C. (2003). The Click and Clash of Generations. Library Journal, 128(17), 36-39.

MILLENIALS SPAN THE GAP

• Millenials share traits of Boomers and Gen X

• More comfortable with online technologies, but still skeptical

of information found on the internet

• Like to read. Older Millenials read more for pleasure,

younger read for learning.

• Look positively on the library, but not fully familiar with all the

new services the library is offering

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PEW ON MILLENIALS AND LIBRARY USE

• Part of the Pew Public Library

Internet Research Initiative

• Funded by the Bill & Melinda

Gates Foundation

• Full Report online at:

www.pewinternet.org/2014/09

/10/younger-americans-and-

public-libraries/

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MILLENIALS ACTUALLY LIKE LIBRARIES

Summary Findings

• 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.

• 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.

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PUBLIC LIBRARIES TRY TO SERVE ALL USERS

• Public library users come from all generations

• Online resources are taking over. Cheaper per item, easier to

locate.

• Patrons have alternatives like Google.

• Older users less tech savvy. Younger users less patient with

technology limitations.

• Library needs to make technology simple, but still able to add more

value than Google can.

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ACADEMIC LIBRARIES NEED TO “OUT GOOGLE”

GOOGLE

• Students come to college with online research skills, unlike earlier

generations

• But those online skills are poor (based on Google searching)

• Academic librarians need to convince skeptical students that the

library resources are worth the time and effort

• Academic library sites need to offer Google-like search experience

• Academic librarians need to teach students how to conduct

scholarly research.

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FUTURE OF THE LIBRARY

• Relevance is the key

• If users feel the library matters, they will use it

• If not, they will neglect the library

• Alternatives to the library (Google, Wikipedia, internet) are

here to stay

• Libraries will need to prove their worth or they won’t be

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