Figure 5. Factors Affecting Library Internet Connectivity by Population of Legal Service Area and Urban/Rural Status for Non-Connected Libraries.

Population of Legal Service Area

Hardware Costs Software Costs Communi-cations Hardware Costs Telecom-muni-cations Fees Training Costs Content Costs Facilities Up-grades Staffing Costs Internet Connection Maintenance Access to Reliable Telecom Services Availability of State/Other Telecom Services Availability of In-House Computer Expertise Availability of Staff Time to Develop Internet Expertise Availability of Federal/ State Money Digital Copyright Fees Concerns Over Access to Objectionable Material
Million + N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
500,000-999,999 1.00 2.00 1.00 2.00 1.00 2.00 1.00 1.00 2.00 1.00 2.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.00
100,000-499,999 1.95 2.16 1.95 1.04 2.07 2.43 2.20 1.96 2.46 1.02 2.38 1.22 1.04 2.12 1.45 1.32
25,000-99,999 1.51 1.81 1.75 1.02 1.95 1.84 1.74 1.61 1.44 1.29 1.73 1.29 1.11 1.52 2.00 1.55
5,000-24,999 1.52 1.81 1.69 1.30 2.00 2.20 1.86 1.81 1.71 1.76 2.05 1.63 1.40 1.48 2.17 1.94
LT 5,000 1.00 1.05 1.09 1.01 1.05 1.33 1.37 1.11 1.04 1.51 1.63 1.19 1.11 1.03 1.48 1.46
Overall 1.08 1.30 1.29 1.03 1.36 1.60 1.53 1.33 1.19 1.56 1.75 1.32 1.19 1.16 1.69 1.59

Urban/Rural Status

Hardware Costs Software Costs Communi-cations Hardware Costs Telecom-muni-cations Fees Training Costs Content Costs Facilities Up-grades Staffing Costs Internet Connection Maintenance Access to Reliable Telecom Services Availability of State/Other Telecom Services Availability of In-House Computer Expertise Availability of Staff Time to Develop Internet Expertise Availability of Federal/ State Money Digital Copyright Fees Concerns Over Access to Objectionable Material
CC 1.17 1.21 1.18 1.02 1.11 1.88 1.30 1.47 1.13 1.06 1.53 1.12 1.01 1.27 1.66 1.00
NC 1.46 1.59 1.63 1.49 1.97 1.97 1.94 1.77 1.73 1.56 2.30 1.58 1.52 1.08 1.94 1.54
NO 1.00 1.24 1.22 1.00 1.23 1.50 1.44 1.22 1.07 1.37 1.64 1.26 1.12 1.17 1.63 1.63
Overall 1.08 1.30 1.29 1.03 1.36 1.60 1.53 1.33 1.19 1.56 1.75 1.32 1.19 1.16 1.69 1.59
1=Very Important 5=Very Unimportant



From:

Bertot, J. C., McClure, C. R., and Fletcher, P.D. (1997). The 1997 National Survey of U.S. Public Libraries and the Internet: Final Report Washington, D.C.: American Library Association, Office for Information Technology Policy.