Handy Library Statistics
Today’s blog records some of the key statistics I have in my notebook whenever I am asked about the value and importance of public libraries. It is a diversion from my discussion on what makes a great community library, but I’ll get back to that next time with some thoughts about the outcomes libraries deliver for their communities.
Below you’ll find some stats about libraries, some stats about the population, and some stats from library research. Most are quoted at a national/Australian level, but you can pretty easily find equivalent data at LGA or suburb level. For example:
2016 ABS census Community Profiles … https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/Home/2016%20Census%20Community%20Profiles
2016 SEIFA Data (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) … https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/2033.0.55.001
2018 AEDC Community Profiles … https://www.aedc.gov.au/data.
So here goes. Did you know …
1 in 6 Australian children start primary school without the language and cognitive skills needed to commence school-based learning (AEDC 2018). The latest results from the Australian Early Development Census show that 82% of children start school developmentally ‘on track’ in terms of language and cognitive skills. 11% are ‘at risk’ (have mastered some but not all relevant literacy and numeracy skills) and 7% are developmentally ‘vulnerable’ (i.e. experience challenges in reading and writing, have difficulty remembering things and are uninterested in trying).
Nationally, the proportion of children ‘on track’ in 2018 was lower than the previous censuses in 2015 and 2012.
School-readiness varies significantly between suburbs. For example, in the City of Parramatta in NSW, 14% of children start school ‘at risk’ or ‘vulnerable’ for language. This figure is less than 10% in Toongabbie and Winston Hills, but 25-30% in Granville.
Children who are read to 6 to 7 times a week have a literacy level almost a year ahead of children who are not read to at home (Melbourne Institute). On average, children from poorer families and those from a CALD background are less likely to have a literacy-rich environment and are most at risk of starting school with fewer literacy prerequisites.
If a child is a poor reader at the end of Grade 1, there is a 90% chance they will still be a poor reader at the end of Grade 4.
85% of Australian children aged 3 to 5 years participate in early education, below the OECD average of 87% (OEDC 2019).
1 in 8 Australian adults aged 15 to 74 years have very low literacy skills and 1 in 5 adults have very low numeracy skills (OECD 2013). Although the OECD’s most recent international survey of adult skills (PIAAC) is now nearly 10 years old, the findings indicate that many Australian adults do not have the literacy and numeracy skills needed to fully function in society or a 21st century workplace. Results from the 2021-22 survey will be published in 2023.
1 in 6 Australian households does not have access to the internet (ABS 2016). The last census found 83% of households had at least one person access the internet from the dwelling via a desktop/laptop computer, mobile or smart phone, tablet, music or video player, gaming console, smart TV or other device.
The reasons given for not accessing the internet at home include no need, lack of confidence and cost.
The 2021 census is likely to show internet access is up to around 90%, meaning that the people who live in 1 in 10 Australian households will still go home each night disconnected from information, resources and entertainment that most people take for granted.
While overall internet access may be fairly high, the ADII’s Basic Skills index for 2018 (including mobile phone, banking, shopping, community, and information skills) is only 56.7 out of 100. That is, many people have internet access but lack the basic skills to use it effectively.
“Australians with low levels of income, education, and employment are significantly less digitally included. There is consequently a substantial digital divide between richer and poorer Australians.” (Measuring Australia’s Digital Divide: Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2018, Telstra)
Australia has an ageing population (ABS 2016). Like most developed countries, Australia's population is ageing as a result of increased life expectancy and lower birth rates. The proportion of the population aged 65 years and over increased from 14.0% in 2011 to 15.8% in 2016. At the same time, the proportion of children under 15 years dropped from 19.3% to 18.7%. By 2037 it is forecast that people 65 years and over will make up 20% of the population.
1 in 4 Australian households are single person households (ABS 2016). Many of the people who live alone are older people or young adults. With an ageing population the number of single person households is estimated to increase from 2 million in 2016 to more than 3 million by 2041. Social isolation can contribute to poor mental health and wellbeing.
1 in 5 Australian households has gross weekly income of $650 or less (ABS 2016). The most recent census found that 20% of Australia’s 8.3 million households have gross income (summed over all household members) of less than $33,800 per year. The 2020 Poverty in Australia Overview (UNSW ACOSS) shows more than 3.2 million Australians (14%), including 774,000 children under 15 (18%), are living below the poverty line.
Public libraries deliver $4.30 return to the community for every $1 invested (SGS Economics & Planning, 2017). In 2017 SGS updated their 2012 landmark study of the socio-economic value of Victorian public libraries and found that on average public libraries have a high benefit to cost ratio, and are one of the most valuable forms of public investment. The results from this analysis are highly consistent with other international studies on library returns on investment.
NSLA’s recently published 2018-19 statistical report for Australian public libraries shows https://www.nsla.org.au/resources/annual-australian-public-library-statistics
$1.32 billion expenditure on public libraries, with total expenditure of $52 per capita
1,410 library branches, 81 mobile library services and 191 other outlets
9.1 million registered library members, representing 36% of the nation’s population
112 million visits to library outlets and 52 million visits to library websites
40 million physical and digital collection items available for community use (1.5 items per person)
136 million loans of physical items and more than 22 million loans, downloads and retrievals from electronic collections
7.4 million attendances at an estimated 350,000 library programs
public library staff responded to an estimated 10 million requests for information or assistance.
Library membership is Australia’s ‘biggest club’. More people are library members than play organised sport or use a gym, watch any single television show or event, follow their favourite football team or go to church or a religious ceremony in a year (not counting weddings and funerals). It is estimated that as many as 90% of Australians will use a public library at some time in their life.
Around 25-30% of adults say that they don’t need to use a library (community surveys). The four main reasons why people don’t use libraries are:
they access books, information, computers elsewhere
they find it hard to physically access a library when it is open
they don’t know what a modern library has to offer
they are wary of libraries or had a bad experience in a library.
Around 80% of adults who don’t use a library still believe libraries make a positive contribution to their local community (community surveys). Many people value a public library as an important symbol of a caring and supportive society. Even if they don’t personally use it, they like to think that is there to help those who don’t have access to books, computers and other resources.