What percentage of the people who use the computers at the public library to access the Internet have no other access?
I spend a lot of time at the local public library and have noticed that the computers there get a lot of use, most of it, I'm assuming, to access the Internet. This raises the question of how many people would not have access to the Internet if it were not for public libraries. Considering the prominent role the Internet plays in America today, this point of access could be considered vital to these people's ability to fully participate in modern society.
In light of the importance of such access, the answer to the question of how many people do not have other access to the Internet is of significant interest to those who run the libraries. The answer could be useful in justifying funding for public library computers and Internet service.
I am thinking of a two part observational study at the public library in my community. The questions I would be looking to answer in the first part are
a. How much time does a particular individual spend on the computer in one sitting? The library has a two-hour limit (unless no one else is waiting to use the computer). What percentage of those using the computers use the full two hours?
b. What are the gender and rough age demographics at different times of the day?
c. How long do the computers sit idle between patrons?
In the second part of the study, I would do face-to-face interviews with people using the computers and ask them things like
a. How are you using the computer?
b. Why are you using the computer at the library rather than somewhere else?
c. If you're using the computer to access the internet, what types of sites are you viewing?
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