Sources of information: A Pew internet research report

Here are a few snippets of information found in the Pew Internet & American Life Project report on How people use the internet libraries and government agencies when they need help.

• 58% of those who were seeking help used the internet, at home, work, a public library or some other place.
• 53% said they turned to professionals such as doctors, lawyers or financial experts.
• 45% turned to friends and family members for advice and help.
• 36% consulted newspapers and magazines.
• 34% contacted a government office or agency.
• 16% consulted television and radio.
• 13% went to the public library.

Those in the low-access (low-Internet access was defined as dial up or no access) group were less likely to report being very successful in their searches than those than those with high-access.

• 63% of broadband access group were successful.
• 61% of the dial-up internet access were successful.
• 50% of those with no access at all were successful.

Those in the low-access group were less likely to have interacted with government in the previous year or visited a library. They were more likely than high-access users to say they consulted TV and radio as sources of information.

On average, each person sought help or information from 2.74 sources.

80% of internet users expect the government websites to provide what they need, compared with only 41% of those who do not use the internet.

Source information:
Authors: Leigh Estabrook, Evans Witt, Lee Rainie
Title: "Information searches that solve problems, How people use the internet, libraries, and government agencies when they need help."
Source link: http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/Pew_UI_LibrariesReport.pdf
Date: December 30, 2007