{"title":"Library Computing Services in Rural Texas during the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Yunfei Du","doi":"10.1080/01616846.2022.2096369","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Library services in the US were reduced during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, and rural residents were particularly impacted. To understand the impact of the pandemic on library services in rural areas, this paper analyzed the 2020 Texas Public Library Statistics and a portion of the 2019 and 2018 data. It examined various services from libraries located in the areas with a population of less than 5,000. Although libraries opened only 76% of hours in 2020 compared to 2019 and 2018, their public computer usage dropped around 50% compared to previous years. Paired sample t-tests suggested statistically significant differences in annual library visits, opening hours, and computer use, indicating much-needed support for computing resources in rural areas because of the pandemic. This study suggested that rural libraries are crucial candidates for a public-private partnership to build rural broadband and enhance public computing services.","PeriodicalId":45177,"journal":{"name":"Public Library Quarterly","volume":"42 1","pages":"306 - 323"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2022-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Public Library Quarterly","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2022.2096369","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
ABSTRACT Library services in the US were reduced during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, and rural residents were particularly impacted. To understand the impact of the pandemic on library services in rural areas, this paper analyzed the 2020 Texas Public Library Statistics and a portion of the 2019 and 2018 data. It examined various services from libraries located in the areas with a population of less than 5,000. Although libraries opened only 76% of hours in 2020 compared to 2019 and 2018, their public computer usage dropped around 50% compared to previous years. Paired sample t-tests suggested statistically significant differences in annual library visits, opening hours, and computer use, indicating much-needed support for computing resources in rural areas because of the pandemic. This study suggested that rural libraries are crucial candidates for a public-private partnership to build rural broadband and enhance public computing services.
期刊介绍：
Public Libraries Quarterly is addressed to leaders-directors, managers, staff, trustees, and friends-who believe that change is imperative if public libraries are to fulfill their service missions in the twenty-first century. In PLQ, directors and operating officers tell how they accomplished change. The journal examines: •best practices and models to improve service •management case studies-with results and failures •library mythologies that retard individual and institutional development •studies of how to plan results and accomplish desired outcomes •marketing and fund-raising tools that work •budget and financial analysis tools and tips
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