[Web4lib] Cognitive dissonance regarding recent Pew report

[B.G. Sloan]

  I'll admit upfront that survey research and statistics are not my strong suit, so maybe I am missing something. But something strikes me as odd about the publicity surrounding this report. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something and someone can set me straight?
   
  I finally took a look at the recent Pew report that's being touted as challenging the assumption that libraries are losing relevance in the internet age. (Report at: http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/Pew_UI_LibrariesReport.pdf.) There's something that I find confusing...
   
  The IMLS press release is titled "Survey Challenges Belief that the Internet Reduces Library Use". One of the paragraphs in the Pew press release has this lead sentence: "The survey results challenge the assumption that libraries are losing relevance in the internet age."
   
  That sounds very encouraging. My confusion comes after reading the report itself. Page v of the report lists the following research question: "What sources of information do people consult when they need to address problems?"  Here's the major finding for that question: "More people turned to the internet than any other source of information and support, including experts, family members, government agencies, or libraries." The respondents picked public libraries dead last (seventh out of seven). The report notes: "13% went to the public library."
   
  Then (on page 22) the report says: "Twelve percent of respondents say it is very likely they would go to the public library in the future for information or assistance in dealing with a problem, and 17% say they are somewhat likely to do so. Another 17% say they are somewhat unlikely to go to the public library and 54% say they are very unlikely to go in the future." I take that to mean that nearly three fourths of respondents said they would be unlikely to go to the library for assistance with future problems?
   
  I'm having trouble seeing how the actual report itself supports the contention that the results challenge the assumption that libraries are losing relevance in the internet age. 
   
  Like I said...maybe I am misunderstanding something?
   
  Bernie Sloan

       
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