November 8th 2023.
According to a new report from the American Library Association, Millennials and Gen Z are taking advantage of library resources in higher numbers than their older counterparts. The report showed that Gen Z and Millennials prefer to buy printed books twice as much as any other form of consumption.
Rachel Noorda, one of the study's authors, said in the ALA's press release, “Great news: Younger generations of people are reading books, buying books, and visiting libraries.” Dr. Noorda added, “Not only are Gen Z and Millennials engaging with books, but they are also engaging with other forms of media. They are gamers, readers, writers, and fans who are comfortable with malleability between media categories and forms.”
The report revealed that even members of the two generational groups who don't identify as readers are still making trips to the library, as more than half of them have reported a library visit within the past year.
Dr. Inman Berens, the other author of the study, said, “Libraries are popular among Gen Z and Millennials, even among self-identified non-readers. Gen Z and Millennials want and need the resources public libraries offer. Just as they flit between multiple media formats, they also jump between modes of access: libraries to bookstores to influencer posts to subscriptions, and back again. Libraries are a notable way Gen Z and Millennials discover books.”
Black, Indigenous, and people of color who are part of these generational groups reported that they often have to wait longer for digital materials. More Black andLatine Gen Z and Millennials use digital collections resources compared to the general population.
The ALA's President Emily Drabinski commented that the way these generations engage with the library indicates that it is important to have a wide variety of materials available. “These digitally-immersed generations make clear that libraries are about more than books,” Drabinski said. “Programming relevant to teens and their parents – coding clubs, job application help, gaming – draws even non-readers to the library, as does the physical space to connect and collaborate.”
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