Annual Report 2023-24

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 connection and enterprise.

Year-on-year comparisons indicate that libraries participating in the network have increased their impact from 2022-23 across six library dimensions and recorded the same levels of agreement for two dimensions. Three dimensions have seen lower levels of agreement in 2023-24 following a spike in 2022-23, and only two dimensions have decreased slightly 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 all outcome areas except for Role, Safe and Trusted and Literacy

• Respondents who speak a language other than English recorded higher than average outcomes for all dimensions

• Respondents across all age cohorts highly agree that they feel safe and welcome when using the library service and that the library is an important part of the place where they live

• Respondents aged over 80 are most likely to find that the library meets their informational and reading needs. They also agree 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 below average scores for five of the recorded dimensions

• Non-members scored above average in all but three dimensions, being less likely to agree with Role, Safe and Trusted and Literacy than members. The dimensions they were most likely to agree with were Enterprise, Connection and Time with Children, indicating they were most likely to value the library for increasing their connection with the community, spending quality time with their children and helping to improve the success of their business.

• Respondents who had used the library within the last week scored slightly higher than average results for most dimensions, particularly Connection

Insights

Strong levels of agreement - greater than 75% of respondents across the network - were recorded for three of the six ALIA/APLA outcome areas, with libraries felt to contribute most to the development of Stronger and Creative Communities (82%) and Personal Development and Wellbeing (76%) and Community Engagement (76%).

Year-on-year data shows that two out of the six outcome areas increased in 2023-24 compared with the previous year, whilst Stronger and Creative Communities and Personal Development and Wellbeing remained the same. Literacy and Lifelong Learning saw a minor decrease of 1% from 2022-23, while Economic and Workforce Development fell 6% from from a jump in 2022-23. Digital Inclusion saw the most significant positive change, increasing to 50% agreement from 42% in 2022-23.

Results recorded by libraries across all ALIA/APLA outcome areas were higher in 2023-24 than when the project began. Economic & Workforce Development saw the greatest variation in results across the year-on-year data.

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 Enjoyment, Inspiration and Creativity (82%); Attitudes and Values (83%); and Knowledge and Understanding (80%).

Year-on-year data shows that results for Attitudes and Values have improved from 2022-23. Results for Enjoyment, Inspiration & Creativity; Knowledge & Understanding; and Activity, Behaviour & Progress have remained the same in 2023-24 as the previous year. Skills dropped slightly when compared with the 2022-23 outcomes. Attitudes and Values recorded the highest levels of agreement every year, except for 2022-23 where it fell one percentage point below Enjoyment, Inspiration and Creativity.

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 (83%).

Year-on-year data shows that results recorded by libraries in the network increased since 2022-23 in Strengthening Public Life, remained the same for Health and Wellbeing but decreased by just 1% for Stronger and Safer Communities. Despite recording the highest scores, Strengthening Public Life fell slightly short of its peak in the 2020-21 results. Both Health and Wellbeing and Stronger, and Safer Communities have 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 have increased over 2023-24 for early childhood literacy. The other outcome areas showed varied results. Reading and literacy awareness and learning increased but its application decreased slightly. While awareness was lower for civic/community engagement, job skills and economic/business development, learning results were the same as for 2022-23 and application results were either the same or higher.

Confidence surrounding community involvement, digital resources and education saw a sharp increase in 2022-23. In 2023-24, confidence levels in each of these areas dropped slightly while still remaining above 2021-22 results. Confidence levels for reading also dropped slightly, with just under half of the sample indicating the library helped them feel more confident in this area. Confidence around helping children to learn increased for the first time since 2020-21.

A small selection of insights derived from filtering the dynamic dashboard by age and gender 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 in job skills and economic/business development and greater confidence about the job search process and starting a new business

• Respondents aged 30-39 and 40-49 demonstrated much higher awareness, learning and application associated with early childhood literacy; and greater confidence with helping children learn

• Respondents aged 50-59 had higher than average awareness, learning and application in education and lifelong learning and community engagement. This cohort also showed higher than average confidence with their education and the process of learning, and community involvement

• Respondents aged 70-79 had greater than average awareness of digital learning services, and lower than average awareness of childhood literacy, job skills and economic/business development

• Respondents aged over 80 years reported a higher than average confidence when using digital resources

• Respondents who identified as female demonstrated higher awareness, learning and application associated with reading and literacy, and civic/community engagement and a greater confidence in helping their children learn than other genders

Insights

The data shows that survey respondents are most likely to be engaged users of the library, with just under half having accessed the library service within the last week. This figure has decreased slightly over the five years of the project, with the percentage of respondents who haven't used the library in longer than six months slightly increasing.

83% used the facilities or services at the library (up 3% from 2022-23), while 46% used library services online from home (down from 53% in 2022-23). Just over one-quarter (26%) attended an event or program at the library, a slight drop from 2022-23.

In 2023-24, 6% of respondents were not library members. This was slightly up from 3% in 2022-23, and of significant difference from 2020-21 when 20% of respondents were not library members. This is believed to reflect the increased use of online programs, services and activities provided by libraries during the Covid lockdowns, which encouraged the use of the library by 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, and 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 identify as female

• Respondents aged 60-69 were less likely than average to attend an event or program. Over half of this sample indicated they had visited their library within the last week

• Respondents who identified as born overseas were more likely to use the facilities or services at the library, but less likely to attend an event

• Respondents of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander ancestry are less likely to access library services online from home

Insights

The data shows that survey respondents are most likely to be female (75%, up from 74% in 2022-23), and in the 60-79 age group (48% in 2023-24, increasing from 42% in 2022-23). The largest percentage of respondents identified as being born overseas (14% in 2023-24, up from 9% in 2022-23). The percentage of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander respondents remained the same from 2022-23, but saw an overall decrease from 2020-21. Those identifying as LGBTIQA+ decreased from 8% in 2022-23 to 5% in 2023-24, which was same as 2021-22. The percentage of respondents living with disability decreased slightly to 7% in 2023-24.

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 occurring for Skills (outcomes falling as age increases), Time with Children (lower outcomes for respondents over 60 years), and Enterprise (lower outcomes for respondents over 60 years). The most consistent dimension among age groups is Safe and Trusted, with average scores ranging from 87-89%.

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 nine of the 11 dimensions and equal outcomes for one dimension (Enterprise). 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 slightly higher averages for seven dimensions, when compared to males. This cohort also recorded the highest average for Creativity.