TECHNOLOGY
Increasingly, libraries are introducing new technologies to ensure the public have access to information.The Australian Public Libraries Statistical Report, 2007-08 compiled by Public Library Services, State Library of Queensland, reports that in 2007-08, there were 7,821 public access Internet terminals provided within Australian Public Libraries. This is a 4% increase from 2006-07 and a 46% increase in the last 5 years. The most populous states had the largest number of public access Internet terminals in public libraries, with 2,414 in New South Wales, 1,630 in Victoria and 1,615 in Queensland, in 2007-08. However, Tasmania (9.7) had the most public access Internet terminals per 10,000 people in 2007-08, followed by South Australia (4.7), Queensland (3.8) and Western Australia (3.8).
10.7 Public Access Internet Terminals provided in Australian Public Libraries(a) |
|
| | NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas.(b) | NT | ACT | Australia |
Number |
|
2003-04 | no. | 1 773 | 1 154 | 976 | 586 | 570 | 173 | 70 | 72 | 5 374 |
2004-05 | no. | 1 963 | 1 251 | 1 194 | 628 | 630 | 192 | 122 | 77 | 6 057 |
2005-06 | no. | 2 082 | 1 354 | 1 388 | 636 | 676 | 424 | 133 | 72 | 6 765 |
2006-07 | no. | 2 216 | 1 476 | 1 781 | 685 | 736 | 462 | 96 | 72 | 7 524 |
2007-08 | no. | 2 414 | 1 630 | 1 615 | 746 | 811 | 484 | 61 | 60 | 7 821 |
Change over 5 year period | % | 36 | 41 | 65 | 27 | 42 | 180 | -13 | -17 | 46 |
Change to previous year | % | 9 | 10 | -9 | 9 | 10 | 5 | -36 | -17 | 4 |
per 10,000 people |
|
2003-04 | no. | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
2004-05 | no. | 2.9 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 2.4 | 3.0 |
2005-06 | no. | 3.1 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 8.7 | 6.4 | 2.2 | 3.3 |
2006-07 | no. | 3.2 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 9.4 | 4.5 | 2.1 | 3.6 |
2007-08 | no. | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 9.7 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 3.7 |
Change over 5 year period | % | 32 | 33 | 50 | 22 | 30 | 171 | -21 | -22 | 37 |
Change to previous year | % | 8 | 9 | -11 | 8 | 7 | 4 | -38 | -18 | 2 |
|
(a) Including mobile libraries. |
(b) Tasmania’s figures have been revised to include co-located access centres which have been integrated into the public library network. The changes to the overall national figures since 2003-04 have been revised accordingly. |
Source: Australian Public Libraries Statistical Report, 2007-08, Public Library Services, State Library of Queensland, June 2009. |
According to the ABS publication,
Public Libraries, Australia, 2003-04 (cat. no. 8561.0), local libraries had 4,638 Internet workstations in 2003-04, a 64% increase since 1999-2000. National and state libraries had increased their number of Internet workstations from 173 (or 7 workstations per location) in 1999-2000 to 426 (or 25 workstations per location) in 2003-04.
10.8 INTERNET FACILITIES IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES - 1999-2000 and 2003-04 |
|
| 1999-2000 | 2003-04 |
| Local libraries | National and State libraries | Local libraries | National and state libraries |
| no. | no. | no. | no. |
|
Internet workstations | 2 832 | 173 | 4 638 | 426 |
Internet workstations per location(a) | 2 | 7 | 3 | 25 |
|
(a) Excludes deposit stations as they do not have Internet facilities. |
Source: Public Libraries, Australia, 2003-04 (cat. no. 8561.0). |