Experts or computers? Trends in the changes of library using habits

NAGY Attila

Könyvtári Figyelő (Library Review) vol. 16 (52) 2006. no. 4. pp. 457–467.

The study follows up on the preliminary report published in the Könyvtári Figyelo (Libraries, computers, reading. A quick report on the results of a survey conducted by the National Széchényi Library and TÁRKI Social Research Centre, 2006. no. 1.). In 2005 the Social Research Centre initiated a national questionnaire survey in co-operation with the Reading Research Department of the National Széchényi Library’s Library Institute. The sample consisted of 3674 persons. While the report has drawn attention to general trends, this study digs deeper, and describes the trends in the changes of readers’ attitudes to library use.
Changes have occurred – as compared with the data gathered in 1964, 1985 and 2000 – not only in the habits of library use, but in those of acquiring books as well. On the whole, the number of adults reading one book per year has decreased to 40 per cent, and the number of adults lending books from the library has sunk to its third in the last forty years. Nowadays for most people the sources of acquiring books are the family library and bookstores. The proportion of books received as a gift is substantial. As regards gender and age, women and young adults take a leading position.
The author examined the alterations of library use from the point of age, qualification, place of living, as well as from the point of the frequency of library visits, and the scope of using different library services. In 1985 44 per cent of adults were library patrons, by today this number has decreased to 12 per cent. The frequency of library visits, too, shows a decreasing trend. The biggest user group is that of young adult learners aged 18 to 29.
While the proportion of computer and Internet users has increased, 80 per cent of non-readers are not using computers either. The majority of regular readers are using both computers and the Internet. The growth of cultural advantages and disadvantages does not promote equal chances, rather it leads to a further social divide.