The Use of LAM Institutions in the Digital Age (original) (raw)

Amidst much speculation on the impact of digitalization, there has been no lack of visions for the future of libraries, archives, and museums (LAM institutions). Sometimes digitalization has been perceived as a useful tool for fulfilling enlightenment and free access to information and cultural heritage. Other times, the digital development has been framed as a threat or game-changer for the LAM institutions. In this chapter, we present empirical data on the use of digital LAM services, and we elucidate how users relate to digital LAM services and LAM services in general. We think the present-day use of digital LAM services is a good indicator of where LAM institutions are heading in the coming years and relevant for LAM-policy development in government and the institutions. This way, we bring data on digital use and perhaps some realism to the never-ending debate on the future of LAMinstitutions. Important questions are: what does digitalization of user services in libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) mean for patrons – do patrons use the digital services offered by the LAM-institutions? Which digital services are used? What are they used for? We analyze how users characteristics, such as country, gender, age, education, income, urban/rural, immigration status, and home Internet access correlate with the digital service usage in LAM institutions. By comparing patterns of use reported by users in six European countries, we examine variation in digital use patterns between the countries. Do differences indicate different development trajectories towards multiple LAM futures or indicate national LAM systems on different development stages towards a shared future of LAM use? The lack of time-series data makes it difficult to conclude whether national systems have changed and how they have changed and calls for future data collection, preferably at five-year intervals. At this point, we present data from a survey of representative samples of the Hungarian, Swiss, German, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian populations conducted in June 2017. The national samples vary from1,002 respondents up to 1,021. Altogether, we have 6,050 respondents (see Audunson et al. (2019) for more information about the data collection process). This analysis is based on quantitative and qualitative data on digital use from the survey. First, the chapter contains a review of professional and scholarly debates on LAM institutions and digital development; second, a presentation of the findings from the survey on the use of digital services in LAM institutions; third, a presentation of free-text analysis of the user responses on content accessed and activities engaged through digital LAM services; fourth, based on the findings we discuss the relevance of the LAMs as digital public sphere institutions today and implications for future LAM adaptation in the digital age.