May 15, 2012

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Key Findings

Patron Profiles logo UNDERSTANDING THE BEHAVIOR & PREFERENCES OF U.S. PUBLIC LIBRARY USERS
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“Public Library Power Patrons Are Your Best Customers”
LJ‘s Barbara A. Genco presents key findings from Patron Profiles at Tools of Change 2012

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KEY FINDINGS & TRENDS FROM PATRON PROFILES ISSUES
Library Patrons and Ebook Usage (October 2011)
  • Power Patrons are library users who visit the library at least weekly, drive much of the library’s circulation, are active consumers—and buyers—of all media, including ebooks, and vote at a higher rate than other patrons and should not be overlooked (see figure 11).
  • The Ebook Patrons, a small but highly engaged group who prefer reading ebooks, are active users of social networks, and utilize the library’s full range of digital offerings more than other patrons. Overall, ebook patrons demonstrate strong loyalty to digital formats (see figure 23).
  • Library Patrons Impact Retail Environments: More than 50 percent of all library users go on to purchase books by an author they were introduced to in the library
  • Face and Place Matter: While library collections were the top reason for library visits, interaction with the library staff and the ambience of libraries themselves drew the highest satisfaction ratings (see figure 34).
Mobile Devices, Mobile Content, and Library Apps (January 2012)
  • The Power Patron continues to be a key group setting the pace for library use and is a model to study when designing services to foster engagement with the library
  • Library patrons fuel word of mouth about authors and books and back this with buying power at bookstores and online.
  • Library Usage is Increasing: 20% of patrons who responded to the first two surveys reported an increase in their library visits compared with 13.5% whose visits had decreased. The upward trend with web­site usage is even more pronounced, with 19.5% of patrons reporting an increase in their library website visits (see figure 3).
  • Ebook Usage Increases: Patrons who prefer ebooks are, on average, more active library patrons than those who prefer printed books. They are generally more voracious in their media consumption. They visit their libraries more often, read more books, and buy more books in both print and electronic formats (see figure 20).
  • Going Mobile: Library patrons’ usage of mobile devices is increasing, influencing their expectations. This means that libraries need to develop mobile app strategies and increase the size of their ebook and rich media collections.
  • Library patrons aged 21-40 are particularly important to libraries. They tend to be active patrons who use the library for their own purposes as well as to meet the needs of their children, and who are larger consumers of digital content than other age groups (see figure 37).