Ugne Rutkauskiene Impact Of Public Acces Computing

Evaluating social and economic impact of public access computing at

public librariespublic libraries

Ugne Rutkauskiene,

Impact Assessment Specialist

Project “Libraries for Innovation”

ugne.rutkauskiene@bibliotekospazangai.lt

Research problem

Although public libraries in Lithuania are main

providers of free of charge public access to

Internet they are not seen as important players Internet they are not seen as important players

in diffusion of ICTs by decision makers

There is no valid and trustful data about their

impacts on users and communities

Theoretical background

Goal – to investigate social and economic outcomes and impacts of public access computing on users

Main research questions:

• How and why public access computing is being used?• How and why public access computing is being used?

• What is typical user’s profile?

• For what purposes public access computing is being

used?

• What social and economic benefits public access

computing brings?

• What is the role and value of library and librarian?

Research design

References: Usherwood&Linley; McClure&Bertot; Durrance&Fisher; Poll&Payne; The Global Impact Study

Internet availability and usage

55% of inhabitants have Internet at home BUT

54% of inhabitants in rural areas do not have

access at home or at work

Internet is available at 70% of public libraries

BUT twice less rural libraries are connected

Internet is used by 62% of inhabitants BUT it is

not used by disabled (80%), elderly (67%), low

income (66%) and unemployed people (63%)

Internet usage in public libraries

34% of inhabitants have used the Internet in

public library, it is an ordinary place to use

Internet for 14%

For 79% of PAC users library is the main place

to access the Internet, 28% do not have any

alternative access

Main users are students and schoolchildren BUT

also elderly, low income and unemployed people

Areas of Internet use

52%

59%

39%

46%

55%

Communication

Occupation and Economic Activities

Leisure and Culture

11%

26%

29%

51%

14%

28%

29%

39%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

E-Government

Health

Education

Communication

PAC users Internet users in general

Social impact

67%

85%

Better communication with friends and family

Enriched cultural life and leasure

19%

47%

47%

67%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Better access to government

Support in learning

Better opportunities to solve health problems

and family

Economic impact

26%

47%

Helped to buy things or services

Saved money

11%

19%

19%

26%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Helped to earn money

Helped to increase income

Helped to find job

Helped to buy things or services

Role and value of library and

librarianLIBRARY:

Free

Other services are

LIBRARIANS:

31% of users need

helpOther services are

available

Is a convenient place

Has staff that can

help

Provides access to

other IT devices

help

75% consult users in

ICT

1/3 of libraries train

users in ICT

Methodological considerations

It is very difficult to attribute impact to the library

Library impact has to be measured in a

composite way, without missing any peace of composite way, without missing any peace of

chain (input->output->outcomes->impact)

To get full picture one has to combine both

qualitative and quantitative methods

To measure “real” impact study has to be

longitudinal

THANK YOU! Study reports are available at: www.bibliotekospazangai.lt/ImpactAssessment