Annual Report 2021-22

Insights

The research shows that communities overwhelmingly agree that libraries play an important role and are felt to be safe and welcoming places. Libraries are also succeeding strongly in their more traditional literacy and learning roles, encouraging users to read more and enjoy learning. Over two thirds of respondents also agreed that their library is changing and becoming more relevant to them and their needs, indicating that greater outcomes may follow in newer library focus areas, such as digital inclusion and enterprise.

Year on year comparisons indicate that libraries participating in the network have increased their impact from 2020-21 across two library dimensions and recorded the same levels of agreement for two dimensions. Seven dimensions have seen lower levels of agreement in 2021-22 following a spike in 2020-21, however only four dimensions have decreased overall since the project started in 2019-20.

A small selection of insights derived from filtering the dynamic dashboard by age, identity, status and location include:

• Respondents of Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander ancestry recorded higher than average scores for Digital Connection, Relevance and Creativity outcome areas

• Respondents who speak a language other than English recorded equal or higher than average outcomes for all dimensions except Information and Digital Connection. They also scored highly for event and program dimensions related to Learning, Belonging and Community outcome areas

• Respondents aged under 20 are less likely to find the role of the library important and relevant to their lives, or to use the library to digitally connect with others

• Respondents aged 30-49 find Time with Children the most important outcome area

• Respondents aged over 80 are most likely to find that the library meets their informational and reading needs. They also feel that the library encourages them to read more, plays an important role and is a safe and trusted space, but have lower outcomes across other areas

• There were no significant differences in outcomes experienced by male and female respondents, however respondents identifying as an alternative gender recorded lower than average outcome scores for all dimensions except Literacy

• Non-members are less likely to feel that the library plays an important role or encourages them to read more, while more likely to use the library to help with the success of their business (Enterprise) or to digitally connect with others

• Respondents who had not used the library for more than six months recorded slightly lower than average outcomes scores in all areas except Role, Time with Children and Connection

Insights

Strong levels of agreement - greater than 70% of respondents across the network - were recorded for four of the ALIA/APLA outcome areas, with libraries felt to contribute most to the development of Stronger and Creative Communities (80%) and Community Engagement (75%).

Year on year data shows that there was a a significant increase across all outcome areas in 2020-21, with outcomes dropping back slightly in 2021-22. Results recorded by libraries for Community Engagement, Personal Development and Wellbeing, and Literacy and Lifelong Learning were still higher in 2021-22 than when the project began, while Digital Inclusion and Stronger and Creative Communities recorded the same results as 2019-20. Economic & Workforce Development was the only outcome area that recorded 2021-22 results below the 2019-20 average.

Insights

Strong levels of agreement - greater than 80% of respondents across the network - were recorded for three of the ILFA Learning outcome areas, with libraries felt to contribute significantly to Attitudes and Values (82%); Enjoyment, Inspiration and Creativity (81%); and Knowledge and Understanding (80%).

Year on year data shows that results for Knowledge and Understanding have improved each year, while Activity, Behaviour & Progress and Skills improved on the 2019-20 outcomes but fell slightly short of their peak in 2020-21. Attitudes and Values recorded the highest levels of agreement every year, however this dropped by 1% in 2021-22.

Insights

Strong levels of agreement - greater than 80% of respondents across the network - were recorded for the ILFA Social outcome area related to Strengthening Public Life (82%).

Year on year data shows that results recorded by libraries in the network fell slightly in 2021-22 for Health & Wellbeing and Stronger & Safer Communities, but increased overall since the project started in 2019-20.

Insights

As illustrated by the dimension results, libraries appear to be succeeding in raising awareness and facilitating learning in the traditional areas of reading and education, while also playing an important role as a safe civic space for their communities to connect. Increasing awareness of the changing role of libraries in developing business opportunities and job skills may lead to improvements in learning, application and confidence in these areas.

Year on year data shows that awareness, learning and application has fallen slightly in 2021-22, following a strong increase in most areas in 2020-21. This has had a subsequent impact on confidence levels, with fairly large drops in confidence around becoming involved in the community, with education and the process of learning, when using digital resources, and helping children learn. Interestingly, application of reading and literacy skills increased in 2021-22.

A small selection of insights derived from filtering the dynamic dashboard by age include:

• Respondents aged under 20 recorded much higher awareness, learning and application associated with reading/literacy, and education; and higher confidence with reading, education and the learning process as a result of their library experience

• Respondents aged 20-29 demonstrated much higher awareness, learning and application associated with civic/community engagement and economic/business development, and greater confidence about becoming involved in the community, about the job search process and establishing a new business

• Respondents aged 30-49 demonstrated much higher awareness, learning and application associated with early childhood literacy; and greater confidence with helping children learn. Respondents aged 40-49 also had much higher application of education and lifelong learning than the average

• Respondents aged 50-59 had higher than average awareness, learning and application in all areas except early childhood literacy, and higher than average confidence with their education and the process of learning

• Respondents aged 60-79 had greater than average awareness of digital learning services and confidence when using digital resources as a result of their library experience

• Respondents aged over 80 years had higher than average confidence about reading

• Respondents who identified that they were aware of library services in any area experienced higher outcomes across the board. This was particularly evident for those who were aware of library services related to job skills and economic/business development

Insights

The data shows that survey respondents are most likely to be engaged users of the library, with more than half having accessed the library service within the last week. This figure has remained constant over the three years of the project, while the percentages of respondents who haven't used the library in longer than six months have fallen in 2021-22.

83% used the library facilities and services (just 1% down from 2020-21), while 60% used library services online from home (up from 51% in 2020-21). Just 20% attended an event or program at the library, which was slightly down on the results from the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years.

In 2021-22, less than 1% of respondents were not library members. This was up from 6% in 2019-20, while interestingly 20% of respondents in 2020-21 were not library members. This may indicate that online programs, services and activities provided by libraries during Covid lockdowns encouraged use of the library from people who were not traditional users.

A small selection of insights derived from filtering the dynamic dashboard by age, gender and identity include:

• Respondents aged 20-29 years are more likely to access library services online from home, less likely to attend an event or program at the library

• Respondents aged 30-39 years are much more likely than average to attend an event or program, and more likely to be female

• Respondents aged over 80 are more likely to be male than average, and a lot less likely to access library services online

• Respondents that speak a language other than English are more likely to be aged under 50, and slightly less likely to access services online from home

• Respondents of Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander ancestry are more likely to be under 40, and less likely to access library services online from home

Insights

The data shows that survey respondents are most likely to be female (69%, down from 77% in 2020-21 and 74% in 2019-20), and in the 60-79 age group (43% in 2021-22 and 2019-20, dropping to 35% in 2020-21). The largest percentage of respondents identified as speaking a language other than English at home (20% in 2021-22, slightly down from 21% in 2020-21, but up from 14% in 2019-20). The percentage of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander respondents increased from 2% to 5% in 2020-21 and then fell to 1% in 2021-22. Those identifying as LGBTIQA+ increased from 3% to 5% in 2020-21, but dropped back to 4% in 2021-22. The percentage of respondents living with disability fell from 7% to 5% in 2021-22.

Insights

The data shows that the differences in dimension results by age group are not significant for seven of the 11 dimensions, with larger differences occuring for Skills (outcomes falling as age increases), Time with Children (lower outcomes for respondents over 60 years), and Digital Connection (lower outcomes for respondents under 20). The most consistent dimension amongst age groups is Safe and Trusted, with average scores ranging from 81-85%.

The data shows that there were not significant differences in the outcomes experienced by male and female respondents, with females recording marginally higher outcomes for six of the 11 dimensions, equal outcomes for two dimensions, and slightly lower outcomes than males for two dimensions (Digital Connection and Creativity). The one significant difference was for the Time with Children outcome, in which females recorded average scores 9% higher than male respondents. Respondents who identified as an alternative gender recorded lower than average outcomes for all dimensions except Literacy, which was the highest average of 79% from the three groups.