TECHNOLOGY
Increasingly, libraries are introducing new technologies to ensure the public have access to information.The Australian Public Libraries Statistical Report, 2008-09 compiled by Public Library Services, State Library of Queensland, reports that in 2008-09, there were 8,652 public access Internet terminals provided within Australian Public Libraries. This is an 11% increase from 2007-08 and a 43% increase in the last 5 years. The most populous states had the largest number of public access Internet terminals in public libraries in 2008-09, with 2,587 in New South Wales, 1,974 in Queensland and 1,723 in Victoria. However, Tasmania had the most public access Internet terminals per 10,000 people in 2008-09 (9.6), followed by South Australia (5.5), Northern Territory (4.6) and Queensland (4.5).
10.7 Public Access Internet Terminals provided in Australian Public Libraries(a) - 2004-05 to 2008-09 |
|
| | NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | NT | Tas. | ACT | Australia |
NUMBER |
|
2004-05 | no. | 1 963 | 1 251 | 1 194 | 628 | 630 | 122 | 192 | 77 | 6 057 |
2005-06 | no. | 2 082 | 1 354 | 1 388 | 636 | 676 | 133 | 424 | 72 | 6 765 |
2006-07 | no. | 2 216 | 1 476 | 1 781 | 685 | 736 | 96 | 462 | 72 | 7 524 |
2007-08 | no. | 2 414 | 1 630 | 1 615 | 746 | 811 | 61 | 484 | 60 | 7 821 |
2008-09 | no. | 2 587 | 1 723 | 1 974 | 890 | 809 | 103 | 484 | 82 | 8 652 |
Change over 5 year period | % | 32 | 38 | 65 | 42 | 28 | -16 | 152 | 6 | 43 |
Change to previous year | % | 7 | 6 | 22 | 19 | - | 69 | - | 37 | 11 |
PER 10,000 PEOPLE |
|
2004-05 | no. | 2.9 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 2.4 | 3.0 |
2005-06 | no. | 3.1 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 6.4 | 8.7 | 2.2 | 3.3 |
2006-07 | no. | 3.2 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 9.4 | 2.1 | 3.6 |
2007-08 | no. | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 9.7 | 1.7 | 3.7 |
2008-09 | no. | 3.6 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 9.6 | 2.3 | 4.0 |
Change over 5 year period | % | 26 | 27 | 47 | 35 | 16 | -24 | 143 | -2 | 33 |
Change to previous year | % | 5 | 3 | 19 | 18 | -3 | 65 | -1 | 34 | 8 |
|
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
(a) Including mobile libraries. |
Source: Australian Public Libraries Statistical Report, 2008-09, Public Library Services, State Library of Queensland, August 2010. |
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). |