FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
April 12, 2006
Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Eileen Maxwell, emaxwell@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
New
Research Shows Technology and Digitization at America’s
Libraries and Museums on the Rise
Small Museums and Small
Public Libraries Make Great Strides
Washington, DC—The
Institute of Museum and Library Services has published
new research into the use of technology and digitization
at the nation’s museums and libraries. Status
of Technology and Digitization is a follow-up study
to first-ever
research conducted on the subject in 2001. The initial
study established baseline data about the kinds of technologies
libraries and museums employed and the emerging digitization
activities that were beginning to make collections widely
available.
The second study delves deeper and discovers
more about how and why our cultural institutions use technology
and undertake digitization projects. “I am happy
to report that using technology to enhance library and
museum services for all Americans and digitizing collections
to provide them broader access to the nation’s rich
holdings is prevalent among our cultural institutions
and increasing dramatically at the small ones,”
said Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute.
“More work needs to be done, but we are well on
our way.”
The 2004 survey was conducted among five
groups: museums, public libraries, academic libraries,
archives, and state library administrative agencies. Below
are highlights of some of the key
findings about technology.
• The percentage of small museums with Web sites
grew from the first survey’s 40 percent to 78 percent.
• 84.5 percent of small museums now use e-mail,
up from only 53.1 percent in 2001.
• 70 percent of small public libraries have an online
catalogue of library or other collections.
Broadband Internet connections are easing
out dial-up/modem connections, even among smaller institutions:
large museums (84.9%), small ones (39%); large public
libraries (90.4%), small public libraries (67.3%); academic
libraries (90.8%); archives (78.6%); and state library
administrative agencies: (100%). WiFi wireless networks
are also widely implemented, including 23.6 percent of
large museums; 47.1 percent of large public libraries;
76.5 percent of large academic libraries; 42.9 percent
of medium-sized archives; and 42.5% of state library administrative
agencies.
Digitization activities have also increased
among all groups, with archives, state library administrative
agencies, and museums leading the way. Ninety-four percent
of archives reported some digitization activity over the
past 12 months, as did 77 percent of state library administrative
agencies, 74.4 percent of museums (up from 32 percent
in 2001), 60 percent of academic libraries, 55 percent
of large public libraries (compared to 25 percent in 2001),
and approximately 18.5 percent of small and medium public
libraries (double the percentage from 2001).
More than three-quarters of state library
administrative agencies and archives, the majority of
museums and large academic libraries, and one-third of
large public libraries that digitized materials make their
digital images freely available to the public. However,
64 percent of archives and 51 percent of state library
administrative agencies said they have 25,000 or more
items still to be digitized. Academic libraries indicate
that over 19 percent of their institutions have 25,000
or more items left to digitize. And over 90 percent of
museums report still having items to be digitized, with
16.5 percent having more than 25,000 items and 15 percent
having 1 to 500 items to digitize.
Lack of sufficient funding and staff time
limit the ability of institutions in all groups to implement
technologies that will enable them to fully meet their
missions. Almost two-thirds of museums, 31 percent of
archives, half of large academic libraries, and the majority
of small public libraries say their technology is less
than adequately funded. More than two-thirds of institutions
among all the groups reported that they do not have enough
skilled staff to accomplish their technology objectives.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services
will use the survey results to inform staff, shape programs,
and raise awareness of stakeholders. “We encourage
you to read, discuss, and share this survey report,”
said Radice. “It provides important insights about
technology and digitization trends and developments, and
the needs of the nation’s libraries, museums, archives,
and state library administrative agencies.”
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