All 238 Indiana public library districts later this month will receive a complimentary copy of Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America. The book, authored by Charles Leerhsen, is being provided to you courtesy of the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Program. One of the purposes of this program is to promote standardbred racing in Indiana, which has a rich history. The story of the great Dan Patch is an important piece of Indiana’s racing heritage.
If you would like additional information about the history of standard racing or any of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission’s current programs, please visit them online at www.in.gov/hrc or contact their office at (317) 233-3119.
NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY ACCESS STUDY OUTLINES GROWTH IN ONLINE SERVICES
The ALA Office for Research & Statistics and the Information Institute at Florida State University recently published “Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2007-2008.” The complete report is now freely available online, and a copy of the bound report can be purchased at a minimal cost through the ALA Store.
Key findings include:
- Libraries reported double-digit growth in online services: audiobooks and podcasts (up 33%), video (up 32%) homework resources (up 15%), e-books (up 13.5%) and digitized special collections (up almost 13%);
- 66% of public libraries offer free wireless access, up about 12% over last year;
- Almost two-thirds of all public libraries provide 1.5Mbps or faster Internet access speeds, with a continuing disparity between urban (90%) and rural libraries (51.5%);
- 74% of libraries report their staff helps patrons understand and use e-government services, including enrolling in Medicare and applying for unemployment;
- 73.4% of libraries provide technology training to library patrons.
The study assesses public access to computers, the Internet and Internet-related services in U.S. public libraries, and the impact of library funding changes on connectivity, technology deployment and sustainability. The study builds on the longest-running and largest study of Internet connectivity in public libraries begun in 1994 by John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure.
Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ALA, the report provides national and state-level data from more than 5,400 rural, suburban and urban libraries; information provided by 45 state library agencies; and feedback from focus groups and site visits in four states.
HAVE REFERENCE QUESTIONS? CALL THE STATE LIBRARY’S REFERENCE HOTLINE AT 866-683-0008 OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS ONLINE THROUGH e-REFERENCE