Despite having used a public library in the last year, most Americans do not believe they will remain relevant in the age of the Internet, according to a new
Rasmussen Reports poll.
Of 1,000 adults polled, 58 percent have used a public library in the past year, including 27 percent who say they have visited a library in the past month.
The survey was conducted Aug. 27-28 by Pulse Opinion Research.
According to the
Institute of Museum and Library Services, in fiscal year 2011, there were 8,956 public libraries in the United States, which served 299.9 million people, or 95 percent of the U.S. population. That figure included as many as 1.53 billion in-person visits each day, which is a 3.9 percent decline since 2008.
The decline is likely to continue as more Americans obtain access to the Internet.
According to a February report marking the Internet's 25th birthday,
Pew Research's Internet Project reported that usage among adults is nearing saturation level with 87 percent now surfing the web.
Usage is highest among those living in households earning $75,000 or more (99 percent), and, not surprisingly, among young adults ages 18 to 29 (97 percent).
Fully 68 percent of adults connect to the Internet with mobile devices like smartphones or tablet computers.
Interestingly, while more Americans use the Internet, a July
Rasmussen Reports survey found that many adults continue to prefer to read books the old-fashioned away, as opposed to with an electronic reading device, such as a Kindle.
A July survey reported that 75 percent of adults still read a book in printed format, rather than on an electronic reading device. Twenty-two percent use an e-reader.
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