Portland State University

PDXScholar

English Faculty Publications and Presentations English

11-2023

Gen Z and Millennials How They Use Public Libraries

and Identify Through Media Use
Kathi Inman Berens
Portland State University, [email protected]

Rachel Noorda
Portland State University, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/eng_fac

Part of the Digital Humanities Commons, English Language and Literature Commons, and the Library
and Information Science Commons
Let us know how access to this document benefits you.

Citation Details
Berens, Kathi Inman and Noorda, Rachel, "Gen Z and Millennials How They Use Public Libraries and
Identify Through Media Use" (2023). English Faculty Publications and Presentations. 135.
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/eng_fac/135

This Report is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in English Faculty
Publications and Presentations by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make
this document more accessible: [email protected].
 Kathi Inman Berens, Ph.D. and Rachel Noorda, Ph.D.
Portland State University

Gen Z and Millennials

How They Use Public Libraries
and Identify Through Media Use
Executive Summary

Gen Z and millennials have some surprising attitudes and behaviors

regarding media consumption and library use.
Generational categories like Gen Z and millennials from previous generations. This report will explain
(aged 13-40 in 2022)1 are an important way to under- some implications of that development. It will aid
stand book engagement and library use because “an librarians and other stakeholders in examining how
individual’s age is one of the most common predictors libraries currently serve Gen Z and millennials, and
of differences in attitudes and behaviors.”2 how to continue serving them as they age. At times
Mobile computing is a key aspect of daily life this report considers Gen Z and millennials together;
for Gen Z and millennials. 92% check social media at others, it drills down into generationally-specific
every day; 25% check social media multiple times per behaviors when those behaviors differ sufficiently to
hour. The high instance of reading on mobile devices warrant attention or explanation.
among these groups, particularly of social media Based on a nationally representative survey
and other “walled garden” apps, is a profound shift sample conducted by the authors,3 this report

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 1
discusses the following attitudes and behaviors
Gen Z and millennials have regarding libraries:

Q 54% of Gen Z and millennials visited a phys-

ical library within a twelve-month period.
Q Libraries attract even Gen Z and millennials
who don’t identify as readers. 23% of Gen Z
and millennials had visited a physical library
in a twelve-month period AND did not
identify as readers.
Q Subscription-only and/or mobile-exclusive
content provided in apps such as Webtoon
(webcomics), Radish (romance e-novels)
and Audible (audiobooks) is particularly
popular with Gen Z and millennials: 12% 54% of Gen Z and millennials
of Gen Z & 8% of millennials subscribe visited a physical library within
to webcomics and 30% of Gen Z & 38% a twelve-month period.
of millennials subscribe to Audible. But
subscription content, such Audible-exclu- Q Teen lounges in libraries are safe, comfortable
sive titles, is mostly unavailable for libraries to
spaces that support:
license.4
Q 52% of Gen Z and millennial physical library Q relaxation
patrons said they borrowed from library digital Q mental and social well-being
collections. Q learning untethered from school and educa-
tional mandates
Q Black (58%) and Latinx (57%) physical library
patrons use digital collections more than the Q Given a choice, 59% of Gen Z and millennials
general survey population (52%). would choose the graphic/manga version of a
Q Long wait times for digital books disadvantage story rather than a text-only book.
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color more Q Preference for a graphic/manga version
than the general population. 47% of Black Gen instead of text-only book is higher in Black
Z and millennials overall (not just physical (69%) and Latinx (73%) communities.
library patrons) have used digital collections,
compared to 37% of the general population. Overall, social media use, crossmedia identities
Q 75% of Gen Z and millennial physical library (readers, gamers, makers, fans and more), and
patrons believe a library wait of one week or subscription engagement characterize Gen Z and
less is “long.” millennials in contrast to other generations.

This report is organized into five parts:

1. Gen Z library use and non-use.
2. How Gen Z and millennials use media and discover books.
3. Gen Z and millennials’ identity categories such as readers, gamers, makers, and fans.
4. Challenges libraries face in growing Gen Z and millennials’ engagement.
5. Recommendations for how libraries can connect with Gen Z and millennials.

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 2
Introduction
Average Number of Books
Millennials (age 26–40) and especially Gen Z (age
13–25) have grown up in an increasingly digital
Bought per Month
environment, which shapes their reading behavior,  Gen Z  Millennials
reading preferences, and modes of book discovery.
The survey results show that 92% of Gen Z and Ebook
millennials check social media daily. 25% report
checking multiple times an hour. According to 2022
Pew data, “fully 35% Audiobook

92% of Gen Z of teens say they are

using at least one
and millennials Print
[social media platform]
check social media ‘almost constantly.’”5 0 1 2 3
daily. 25% report Gen Z is the first
checking multiple generation to have
times an hour. had access to mobile More than people in previous generations, Gen
computing since early Z lives in an augmented reality moving seamlessly
childhood. If previous between embodied and virtual space through
generations had to physically move to access media phones. As one Gen
in a particular location (e.g., the “tv room” in a Zer commented:
house; a computer lab at school), most of today’s “For me, online Gen Zers buy and
teenagers and young adults have microcomputers and offline are read slightly more
(“phones”) on their person. one and the same,
than millennials in all
The success of artificial intelligence-powered basically the same
digital marketing helps to explain why 1 in 3 Gen thing, integrated.”6 formats. Print is the
Zers and millennials in the survey buy books based Yet, importantly, preferred format.
on recommendations from Instagram reviews/ads this comfort with
and 31% buy books because of TikTok reviews/ads. the blurring of the
During their lives thus far, these two generations digital and physical worlds does not translate into a
have been surrounded by pervasive media environ- preference for the digital. With more time spent on
ments that mediate their interactions with friends, mobile computing comes increased need for “social
other social groups, and information. As a result, media detox” and other efforts to limit or demar-
some of their behaviors and expectations when it cate one’s time in mobile apps.7 Print books are Gen
comes to libraries require explanation. Zers’ #1 preferred book format. Young people visit
bookstores. Despite all the digital options, browsing
library shelves continues to be relevant to their
Average Number of Books
discovery of new books.
Read per Month Additionally, despite assumptions that young
 Gen Z  Millennials
people may read less, both Gen Z and millennials
are consuming books: on average they buy 1 ebook,
1 audiobook, and 2 print books per month; and read
Ebook
(including through subscriptions) 1 ebook, 1 audio-
book, and 2 print books per month. Gen Zers buy
Audiobook and read more than millennials in all formats. Age
negatively correlates with the number of print books
bought per month: the younger Gen Zers are, the
Print
more print books they buy. The charts illustrate book
0 1 2 3 reading and book buying across formats.

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 3
1 GEN Z AND MILLENNIAL LIBRARY USE

Physical Library Visits feeds” and “streaming TV/movies that are adapted
to books.”
Do Gen Zers and millennials use libraries? How Gen Z slightly outperforms millennials in visits
and to what extent? About half of Americans aged to physical libraries in the last twelve months.
13–40 visit libraries in person, and this usage rate It also corresponds with Gen Z’s preference for
has been consistent over recent years. In the survey printed books. Nourishing Gen Zers’ use of the
54% of Gen Z and millennials reported having used library continues to require physical space and print
physical libraries within a twelve-month period. This materials because they like print books. Gen Z and
percentage is very close to what Pew reported for millennials who had not been to the physical library
millennial library use in 2017 (53%),8 and is higher in a twelve-month period read less than the general
than Pew’s findings a decade ago.9 27% of Gen Z population across all formats except text messages
and millennials and emails. Notably, 17% of the group that didn’t
report discovering physically visit the library did report using library
Nourishing Gen Zers’ books by browsing digital services.
use of the library books on shelves Physical library visitors identified these barriers or
continues to require at public libraries. attitudes to digital borrowing:
physical space and Browsing public
Q 41% “I didn’t know how to access library
print materials because libraries is Gen Z’s
services during the pandemic.”
they like print books. #3 preferred place
Q 20% “I don’t use library services.”
to discover books.
Q 14% “There’s no library close to where I live.”
Libraries are the
Q 12% “I lost my library card.”
#5 preferred place for millennials to discover books.
Millennials are more likely to use the digital library Gen Z and millennials are not going to the library
collections than Gen Z. More (64%) African Amer- only to borrow print books. Across age demo-
ican or Black Gen Z and millennials visit the physical graphics, there was a 23 percentage point increase in
library, 10 percentage points higher than the general Americans who attended library programs from 2014
survey population. For both Latinx and Asian/Asian to 2019.10
American Gen Z and millennials, browsing shelves
in public libraries was the #3 preferred place of
book discovery, after “on my phone in social media
Libraries Are Book
Showrooms for Gen Z
Library Use and Millennials
Gen Z versus Millennials What role do libraries play in Gen Z and millennial
reading habits and book discovery? In the Immersive
 Gen Z  Millennials
Media and Books 2020 research, researchers found
Visited that 1 in 3 book engagers bought a book that they
physical library first found at the library.11 Generally, book engagers
were context agnostic, meaning that they often
Used digital
library services
found a book in one place and bought it or borrowed
it in another. Turning attention to Gen Z and millen-
Deterred by nials specifically in 2022, libraries fit well with the
long holds “robust sampling” culture that Gen Zers and millen-
0% 20% 40% 60% nials are accustomed to. Digital subscription models

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 4
through which Gen Z and millennials consume other
media (such as Netflix, Kindle Unlimited, Xbox
Game Pass, Spotify, Audible, etc.) allow them to
try new media products risk-free. In the traditional,
print-centered book publishing ecosystem, libraries
are the place for robust sampling.
Libraries allow people to try out books risk-free.
This, and the role that libraries play in curating
and promoting books, mean that libraries bolster
publishers’ low marketing budgets—for free.
Penguin Random House disclosed during the
Department of Justice antitrust trial on the proposed
acquisition of Simon & Schuster that they allocate
2% of their budget for marketing. Extrapolating from
this, Guy LeCharles Gonzales calculates that they
spend an average of $3,187 per title, for a total of
$47.8 million.12 Visibility in the crowded marketplace
is a formidable challenge facing publishers, and resources and advice during big life changes such as
they will pay to get optimal book display placement career transition, parenthood, new language acquisi-
algorithmically with online vendors and also at retail tion, or learning to read; Wi-fi enabled work spaces;
bookstores. They pay a commission of 3–7% on and creativity resources like maker spaces and
books sold, or a dollar amount around $100, for a media production equipment. Libraries also provide
display at a bookstore. By contrast, libraries display programming relevant to teens (Gen Z) and parents
books for free–no marketing dollars demanded. (older Gen Z and millennials), such as coding clubs,
Some even invite local bookstores to sell books storytimes, job application help, and more. This
at library-sponsored author events. In the digital helps to explain why, across age demographics, there
environment, attentive digital librarians customize was a 23-percentage point increase in Americans
their curated collections to the borrowing and who attended library programs from 2014 to 2019.
holds requests of local patrons. Digital collections The youth that researchers met during visits to
managers can adjust licenses in real time to accom- two public library branches talked about coming
modate demand, if the library can afford to fund to the library just to “vibe” and hang out. One
staff time to monitor digital collection use. contrasted the public library experience to that of
her school library, where she said students had to
have “a reason to be there” such as a test or study
hall, as activities are tied to the school’s curriculum.
54% of Gen Z and Millennials While her school library required her to be quiet and
Who Don’t Identify as have a pass to enter, the public library was a place
where she and other teens could chat while crafting.
Readers Visit Libraries— Making collaged bookmarks in the teen room, one
Why? young person commented, “this is so relaxing,”
which points towards the role that libraries play in
43% of Gen Z and millennials don’t identify as mental/emotional health and socializing. At both
readers. Of that “non-reader” group, 54% have library branches we visited, books lined the walls
been to their local library in the past twelve months. of the teen lounges. Some young people picked
Why? What is it about libraries that attracts up books as they did other things such as crafting,
“non-readers”? What is the library’s value to gaming, checking their phones, chatting, and
non-readers? showing their craftwork to the teen librarians and an
The library provides a number of things beyond adult mentor. In these spaces, books were always an
books: a safe, free place to hang out; important option but were not the focus of the experience.

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 5
Millennials and Gen Z and millennials to discover books (13%), followed by
browsing shelves in brick-and-mortar bookstores as
Also Visit Bookstores #4 (11%). The #5 preferred way is browsing shelves
in public libraries (11% of Gen Z and millennials).
In 2023, independent bookstores are a surprising These data demonstrate that Gen Z and millennials
success story, despite consumers buying more slightly prefer bookstores to libraries for printed
books from online retailers. 2023 has seen a growth book discovery. However, Gen Z and millennials
of independent bookstores, leading to the highest equally prefer recommendations from booksellers
number of American Bookseller and librarians (15%).
Association members in over The instant availability of
two decades.13 In keeping with A majority of library
popular titles and the shopping
this, bookstores are an important digital collections’ experience would seem to be the
part of reading for many Ameri- non-users say they don’t most important differentiators
cans in the 13–40 age group. This know how to access between bookstores and libraries;
research found that 58% of Gen digital collections. however, the most popular print
Z and millennials bought a book books at the library are less likely
in a bookstore in the prior twelve to be on the shelves for patrons
months. More than one third (35%) of those bought to browse because they are borrowed out and on
a book because they were browsing at the store hold lists. By contrast, bookstores highlight the
and found something they liked. While bookstores most popular titles on tables and face them out
don’t allow for the same level of robust sampling on shelves, increasing visibility and availability of
that libraries do, they do allow readers to examine in-demand products. Indie bookstores often feature
different books in person and often offer book cafés and places to sit where customers can make
recommendations and events. themselves as they browse. The Public Library Asso-
A secondary appeal: indie bookstores tap into ciation recommended that libraries add coffee and
people’s ethical values to “shop local” as a means couches back in 2017, but many libraries continue
of supporting one’s community. 13% of Gen Z and to lack the ability to have food inside the building,
millennials said they bought books to support their making library cafés a challenge to implement.14
local bookstore. Browsing shelves in brick-and-
mortar libraries is the #3 preferred place for Gen Z

Gen Z and Millennials’

Digital Collections Use
It’s clear that Gen Z and millennials use libraries for
their physical book collections and other resources,
but what about their digital books? The survey found
that only 37% of Gen Z and millennials borrowed
from library digital collections. 80% of those borrow
ebooks and audiobooks 2–7+ times per year. A
majority of digital collection non-users say they
don’t understand how to access digital collections,
indicating that there is an opportunity to proactively
educate younger library users about digital library
resources.
Millennials outpace Gen Zers in using the digital
library collections, and they also have a higher
tolerance for long wait times—something that library

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 6
 What are the barriers to 75% of Gen Zers
Long Library Wait Time digital borrowing for those and millennials
According to Gen Z and Millennials who haven’t visited a phys- say that a wait
ical library in a 12-month
time of one
8% period? 40% said “I don’t
More than use library services.” 28% week or less
several months
said “I didn’t know how is “long.”
21%
18% Any wait to access library services
More than during the pandemic.” 20% said “I don’t read audio-
a month
books or ebooks.” 12% said “I lost my library card.”
Use of library digital collections breaks down
differently by race and ethnicity. Black (58%) and
Latinx (57%) physical library patrons use digital
16%
More than collections more than the general survey popu-
a day lation (52%). 47% of Black Gen Z and millennials
overall (not just physical library patrons) have used
digital collections
(compared to
37% Fair digital access is 37%). Black and
More than a week
a racial equity issue, Latinx GenZ/
facilitating Black, millennials are
patrons often encounter with popular digital mate- Indigenous, and People also more likely
rials. While 83% of library users ages 13–40 report of Color (BIPOC) to be deterred by
not being deterred by wait times for digital library access to books. long hold lines at
resources, Gen Zers are more deterred by long the library. There-
wait lines than millennials (21% compared to 17%). fore, fair digital
Notably, a combined total of 75% of Gen Zers and access is a racial equity issue, facilitating Black,
millennials say that a wait time of one week or less is Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) access to
“long.” books.

BIPOC Patrons Use Digital Collections More

Than the General Population
 Sample overall  Digital library visitors Digital library services
60% BIPOC patrons
Borrow digital library materials like ebooks and audiobooks

African American or Black

40% Highest physical and digital library use: 63.9% had visited the
local library in the last 12 months.

Asian and Asian American

Browsing shelves in public libraries is the #3 preferred method
20%
of book discovery

Latino, Latina, Latinx

Browsing shelves in public libraries is the #3 preferred method
0% of book discovery
All Latinx Asian Black

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 7
2 GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS MEDIA USE
AND BOOK DISCOVERY

Media Use:
Who Is Reading What? Read in the Last 12 Months
This research expands the definition of reading
100%
to include a wide range of formats. We found that
among Gen Z and millennials the top four most
read modes in the last 12 months were digital (text
messages, email, social media, websites). Print books
came in fifth, with ebooks and audiobooks even 75%
further down the list. Some shifts in reading may be

Percenrage of Gen Z and Millennials

due to the amount of time people spend with their
mobile devices and the conveniences of being able
to read in short bursts—such as during a break from
50%
work or school, or while in transit, or while waiting in
line. Webtoon and other serial content subscription
apps, for example, compete with books for reading
time, and their quick-to-read formats (such as
single-pane webcomics), gives them an advantage 25%
in meeting readers’ needs for short bursts of reading.
Webtoon, at 85.6 million monthly readers globally,
is the fastest-growing reading app.15 Webtoon’s U.S.
audience hovers around 20% of its global audience,
0%
or 17.1 million monthly readers. Webtoon offers
s

M il
W edia
in tes

in oks

Pr Eb s
d ks
di ws

eb ks

ls
am ew
ge

at
og
a

most of its serial content for free; subscribers pay to

ve
in oo

W boo
Em

Au Ne
Ch
Pr bsi
sa

O Bo

Bl
G N

no
es

o
e
e
t
al

access content faster than the free release.16

te
tM

ci

nl
So
x
Te

Some differences exist between Gen Z and

millennials in reading practices. Gen Zers are reading
chats in games and webnovels in greater proportions.
Millennials, meanwhile, read more emails, ebooks & As can be seen in the graphic below, Gen Z and
audiobooks, blogs, and newspapers compared to the millennials discover books based on recommen-
younger group. dations of people they know (friends, family) as
well as strangers (talent and influencers). They
discover books both in the digital world (social
media, streaming/TV movies, online bookstores and
The How and Where library catalogs) and in the physical one (book-
of Book Discovery store and library shelves). Many also subscribe
to an ecosystem of services that are inaccessible,
The hybrid online/offline environment that Gen at least in part, to libraries. Audible, for example,
Z and millennials are embedded in significantly is a mixed bag: some of its audiobooks are avail-
impacts their book discovery and reading habits. able at libraries, and some are not. A portion of
The graphic below illustrates this—showing how “Amazon Originals” and “Amazon Exclusives” are
and where people discover books alongside the currently only accessible through DPLA’s Palace
subscription services most popular among Gen Z Marketplace.17 The following content is currently
and millennials. inaccessible to libraries: CrunchyRoll; fanfiction

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 8
 Book Discovery Where Services
On my phone, on social
How 55% media feeds 35% Audible

Recommendations Streaming TV/movies that

59% from friends 32% are adapted from books 24%
Kindle Unlimited

41% Streaming TV/movies that

are adapted from books 31%
Browsing brick-and-mortar
bookstores 19% Crunchyroll

Recommendations
37% from family 30% Browsing online bookstores 19% Other

Recommendations
32% from talent 27%
Browsing shelves in public
libraries 17% Wattpad, Radish,
Kindle Vella

Recommendations
28% from influencers 27%
Browsing online library
catalog

and serialized fiction apps like Wattpad, Radish, of Gen Z). By contrast, millennials read significantly
and Kindle Vella; and subscription services in more online news services (57% compared to Gen
the “Other” category which includes Webtoon, Z’s 36%) and printed newspapers (27% compared to
Substack, Patreon, and others. Of the Gen Zers and Gen Z’s 14%). Reviews are more effective in driving
millennials who read webnovels, 60% pay for faster millennials’ book discovery. Millennials’ media
access to content; for people who use Substack, habits are a middle ground between Gen Z and older
79% pay for faster access to content.18 “Original” generations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Gen Z is less
content usually means it can be accessed exclu- influenced by legacy media reviews: more (20%)
sively on that platform. Readers tender an unseen said they were influenced by recommendations from
payment in the “attention economy” as they read online reviewers (Goodreads, Amazon, Audible,
on these apps: the pattern of their time on site, how and Barnes and Noble) than by bestseller lists (15%)
often they check the site, how quickly one opens a such as New York Times, USA Today, Publishers
new installment, and far more granular information Weekly, Amazon.
than that.19
Modes of book discovery differ somewhat
between Gen Z and millennials. Gen Z invests
more trust in celebrities, influencers, and social Preferred Ways to
lists, though both groups accept them as trusted Find Books
resources. More than one third (34%) of Gen Z
people discover books based on recommenda- Streaming TV and movies is the #2 preferred way
tions from influencers (TikTokers, Instagrammers, Gen Z and millennials discover books. For Black Gen
bloggers, Discord streamers, and so forth.) Millen- Z and millennials, streaming is the #1 preferred way
nials are somewhat less influenced than Gen Z by to discover books, a 10 percentage point increase
influencers (23% for millennials compared to 34% over the general population. Gen Z and millennials

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 9
 Top 6 Methods of Book Discovery influencers (7%), and social lists (6%).21 These two
categories together (friends and social media/influ-
for Gen Z and Millennials encers) far outpace recommendations from family
(9%) as the most-preferred way to find books.
 Overall  Preferred

Recommendations
from friends
Preferred Social Media
Streaming TV/
movies Platforms
Recommendations There are both similarities and differences
from family between the social media platforms that Gen Z
and millennials preference. Both groups prefer
Recommendations
from talent Instagram (21%) and YouTube (Gen Z—16%;
millennials—17%) at similar rates, but beyond that
Recommendations there is a divergence. Gen Z indicates a relative
from influencers preference for TikTok (23%) and Snapchat (13%),
Recommendations while millennials prefer Facebook (33%) much more
from social lists than Gen Z (7%). These findings are consistent
with Pew’s 2022 research into teen use of social
0% 20% 40% 60%
media platforms, which found that “TikTok has
established itself as one of the top online platforms
for U.S. teens, while the share of teens who use
are media omnivores who discover new content Facebook has fallen sharply.”22
across media, finding a story they like in one format The differences between Gen Z and millen-
and following that story through its representations nial social media platform preferences become
in other formats (“crossmedia”). These gener- significant when it comes to book discovery and
ations also purchase. While 21% of both Gen Z and millennials
move nimbly bought a book recommended or advertised on
For Black Gen Z and from virtual YouTube, millennials were more likely to buy a book
millennials, streaming to embodied recommended or advertised on Instagram (35% of
space. Latinx millennials, 29% of Gen Z) and Gen Zers were more
TV/movies is the
Gen Z and likely than millennials to buy a book recommended
#1 preferred way to
millennials or advertised on TikTok (34% of Gen Z, 28% of
discover books. reported strong millennials). Of the 46% of respondents who
engagement bought a book from a bookstore, Instagram was
with fanfiction, their #1 preferred platform. These data raise the
48% (10 percentage points more than the general question: how can librarians participate in social
population) and 27% subscribe to mobile serial media marketing if they lack the time to immerse
fiction apps such as Wattpad, Radish and Kindle themselves in platform-specific conversations and
Vella (10 percentage points more than the general vernacular? Does content pushed across traditional
population). marketing channels even reach Gen Z and millen-
Digging deeper, we asked survey respondents nials?23
to check all of the ways they discover books (the Social media on mobile phones is effective
blue bars in the chart above) and their preferred because it allows marketers to achieve “six touch-
way of discovering books (the red bars in the chart points”24 that build product awareness faster than
above). Recommendation from friends (25%) is possible in newspapers, magazines and television.
is the most-preferred way to find books, closely Talent and influencers typically post new content
followed by recommendations from talent20 (8%), daily, and engage in conversation with fans. Such

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 10
 Gen Z Preferred Millennial Preferred
Social Media Platform Social Media Platform
Reddit 3% Reddit 6% TikTok 8%
Twitter 4%
TikTok 23% Twitter 4%
Discord 7% Discord 2%
Instagram 21%

Facebook 7%

Snapchat 13% Facebook 33%

Instagram 21%

YouTube 17%

YouTube 16% Snapchat 4%

interaction builds trust and establishes credibility. different variations” of a particular author news-
That’s why talent and influencers are also sites of letter or collate disparate datasets into a remarkably
conversation among fans. Identification as a “fan” is personal and customized pitch.26
high with Gen Z and millennials (52%) and fans have Trends like these are top-of-mind for the most
many channels, online and offline, to engage with avid readers and media consumers; librarians should
creators and hang out longer in the storyworlds they keep them in mind when strategizing how to “meet”
love. Gen Z and millennials where they “live.”
When fans are also creators, printed books make
good props in visual media like TikTok short videos
and Instagram Reels. There are no TikTok videos of
ebooks! Printed books can be imaginatively used as
conversation pieces or expressive objects. An early
BookToker, Ayman Chaudrhary, famously videoed
herself throwing Song of Achilles across the room
because it broke her heart. Many #booktoks focus
on the materiality of the printed book, including
closeups of bookmarks and other types of deco-
ration, or stacks of books filmed in stop-motion
animation. For celebrities and influencers, books are
a quick way to generate ideas for fan engagement.
Emma Roberts, an actress who started a book club
on Instagram during pandemic lockdowns, said:
talking about books “is one of my favorite ways to
engage with my followers. … [It] just adds so much
more substance to your online interactions.”25
Finally, the automation and customization of digital
technology helps to make social media marketing
effective. Artificial intelligence “can create 100

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 11
3 GEN Z AND MILLENNIAL IDENTITIES

Consumers and Creators

In addition to consuming media, Gen Z and millen-
nials also create it. They hold multiple identities,
as readers, gamers, writers, fans, livestreamers,
podcasters, and more. More Gen Zers identify as
gamers, and fewer identify as readers. Millennials
have higher percentages of identification as readers,
fans, livestreamers, and podcasters. Identity is a
perception of self, and identities are social, multiple,
and fluid. In choosing to report self-identification,
such as being a fan, the Gen Z and millennials in this
study were able to interpret the terms of identity
in their own ways. A fan could be an enthusiast of
anything, not just book- or media-related things.
The survey allowed respondents to define them-
selves as they saw fit, without required benchmarks
to establish who “qualified” as a fan.
So why do these media identities matter, partic- like them (26%). Gaming and fandoms provide the
ularly to libraries? Leung et al. found that the more community and connection that Gen Zers value. By
relevant a product is to a person’s identity, the more contrast, reading reflected more solitary pleasures.
the physical version of that product will appeal to Reading for Gen Z was primarily motivated by “me
the consumer.27 Gen Z and millennials tend to buy time” and the desire for escapism. Given this orien-
more books per month if they identify as readers. tation, libraries are in a unique position to demon-
Identities are social, and strate to Gen Z the social
the community aspect of dimension of books by
media consumption is a
motivating factor for Gen
Media Identities providing them spaces
for community to meet
Z and millennials. Being Gen Z and Millennials and talk, especially inside
part of a fan commu- branch libraries.
nity and connecting One of the most
with others like them important findings of the
is the most important 57% 53% 52% Immersive Media and
element of Gen Z media Books 2020 research
consumption. Nearly was that avid media
one-third (32%) of Gen consumers are avid
Readers Gamers Fans
Zers who identify as across categories: it’s
gamers report that they not a zero-sum game.
play videogames as a People who avidly game
way to talk with friends,
25% 13% 10% and avidly watch TV/
compared to 26% of movies are also often
gamers in the general Writers Livestreamers Podcasters avid readers and book
survey population. Two buyers. In the 2020
of the top 3 reasons why study, we defined “avid”
Gen Z people report identifying as fans are 1) to be engagement as 4+ books per month, which was 53%
part of a fan community (27%) and 2) to meet others of the survey population.28 For these “avid” engagers,

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 12
there is an amplifying effect as an individual moves For instance, she was interested in building a lip
between media modes and platforms. gloss business using vegan products because those
For Gen Z and millennials, 57% identify as readers, products are in-demand with other Gen Zers and
53% as gamers, and 52% as fans. Those who discover because vegan products are more sustainable for the
books through 5+ different modes have higher rates environment. One young man regularly wrote and
of identification across recorded his own rap music in the recording studio
the identity categories. inside his local library.
They eagerly explore In another library site visit, researchers observed
Gen Zers we met
content across different teens alternating between playing video games
at our library media and identify together and pausing to go back and join the larger
branch visits as both consumers: group craft activity. Some of the specific media
were well aware readers (74%), fans they identified consuming included rap and country
of the creator (62%) and gamers music, Batman and 2K video games, and TV such as
economy, for (56%); and makers: anime, iZombie, Umbrella Academy, Love/Dance/
example, and writers (33%), lives- Robots, and
treamers (17%), and Grey’s Anatomy.
talked about ways
podcasters (14%). Avid They talked about
to participate in it. engagers fluidly move reading manga,
between consuming and the Geronimo
making media. Perhaps series, and other
this is why social media is such a popular way for books. Occasion-
Gen Z and millennials to discover books: it taps into ally the young
both the consumption and production aspects of people would
their identity, as they watch talent and influencers, break away from
then join the conversation by posting their own the craft activity
content in response. to quietly peruse
These complex consumer/producer identities the shelves of
were reflected in our ethnographic research. Gen books lining the
Zers researchers met at library branch visits were teen lounge walls. In other words, the teens moved
well aware of the creator economy, for example, and fluidly between creating, consuming, socializing,
talked about ways to participate in it. One entrepre- talking about their media, and browsing shelves,
neurial young woman had three different ideas for which illustrates their hybrid identities and engage-
making and selling products in the creator economy. ment with both physical and digital media.

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 13
4 CHALLENGES

Libraries (and publishers) face three main challenges Noble has retrenched from 726 stores in 2007 to
when it comes to Gen Z and millennial media habits 600 stores in May 2023.29
and preferences. Additionally, the convenience of direct-to-door
delivery of books from retailers like Amazon builds
expectation in Gen Z and millennials regarding their
access to print books. Amazon’s advantage is conve-
1. Amazon Frames nience. Many libraries offer some delivery services to
homebound individuals; and several libraries around
Gen Z and Millennial the country pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic
Book Expectations to offer book delivery services to their patrons when
physical library doors were closed to the public.
Gen Z and millennials’ high use of Amazon’s audio- As the world transitions into another stage of
book and ebook paid subscription services poses COVID-19 where pandemic becomes endemic, print
a challenge for libraries particularly because of book delivery should remain in the conversation for
“Amazon-exclusive” licensing, which prohibits some libraries to increase print circulation and reach print-
authors from distributing their work outside the hungry Gen Zers.
Amazon ecosystem. The same is true for “Amazon
Originals,” which is exclusively available to Amazon
subscribers. In June 2022, DPLA partnered with
Lyrasis and Knight Foundation to launch The Palace 2. Pirating Books versus
Project, a not-for-profit e-reader app, platform, and
marketplace that allows libraries to serve e-con- Library’s Legitimate
tent from all their vendors to patrons via a single Digital Book Access
app, available for iOS or Android. DPLA also runs
Palace Marketplace, with an emphasis on providing One third (32%) of Gen Z and millennials download
libraries with flexible licensing models. Palace or read books for free from unlicensed sources. The
Marketplace includes more than 1.2 million ebook ease of downloading and sharing ebooks and audio-
and audiobook titles from all of the Big 5 publishers, books has been staunched by digital-rights-manage-
Amazon Publishing, ment software
Audible, hundreds of installed in
mid-size and indepen- One third (32%) of digital books
dent publishers, and Gen Z and millennials by publishers.
independent authors. So download or read But publishers
far, Palace Marketplace remain wary
books for free from
is the only platform that that ebooks and
has negotiated access
unlicensed sources. audiobooks cut
to titles from Amazon into print sales.
Publishing and Audible. If John Sargent, the former Macmillan CEO who led an
there are Amazon-exclu- 8-week embargo against granting libraries access to
sive books that are not accessible through the public new digital book releases, defended his decision by
library, this limits the library’s ability to serve its saying he didn’t want “frictionless” ebook access to
patrons and offer them the books that they need and train customers to get new releases for free.30 More
want, in the formats that they need and want. And, recently, the Association of American Publishers-
of course, libraries and publishers are not the only successfully sued to prevent state legislatures from
organizations whose operations have been disrupted mandating “reasonable terms” for libraries’ digital
by Amazon. Borders closed in 2011 and Barnes and book licensing.31 Publishers prevailed in the first

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 14
case decided in a federal district court, winning the the library went Publishers, librarians,
right to charge licensing prices without additional on to purchase it.32 and authors should
regulatory oversight beyond existing laws. This win Publishers need
consider aligning
is welcome news for publishers, but it doesn’t affect discovery tools in
ebook reading beyond the scope of library licensing. a very crowded
in one mission
Publishers might benefit in the long run by encour- media marketplace. to keep people
aging Gen Z and millennials to borrow more ebooks “Pirates” are also reading digital books
from libraries, because doing so might train them to some of the most through legitimate
seek out licensed ebooks and audiobooks rather than passionate book access. Libraries
pirated, often substandard, versions. readers. Immer- are a time-proven
The 32% of Gen Z and millennials who pirate sive Media and
and convenient
books is a large potential audience whose needs are Books 2020 shows
not currently met by long wait times. Would more that “pirates” are way to do this.
people borrow from libraries if wait times for ebooks super-consumers,
and audiobooks were shorter? Can people who are in active across all
the habit of illegally downloading books be retrained media both as consumers and producers.33 They
to borrow licensed digital books from libraries? are people who sometimes purchase books they’ve
These questions are important because the habits already downloaded/read, and they actively partici-
young people develop in accessing digital books may pate in online, book-centered communities.
persist into adulthood, when they will have more Publishers, librarians, and authors should consider
control over their disposable income as book buyers aligning in one mission to keep people reading digital
and will also be able to vote for or against library tax books through legitimate access. Libraries are a
levies. time-proven and convenient way to do this.

3. Lack of Equitable
Access to Digital Collections
Harms BIPOC
Publishers are for-profit companies and public
libraries are freely accessible mission-driven public
organizations. This structural difference can lead to
tension between libraries and publishers regarding
digital lending terms. This report substantiates
through data that BIPOC patrons use digital collec-
tions more than the general population. In her
analysis of public library mission statements, Melissa
Fraser-Arnott identified six components of modern
public library identity: 1) community building, 2)
culture and recreation, 3) equitable access, 4)
information, 5) positive impact, and 6) steward-
ship.34 Crawford Barniskis notes that lifelong learning
Libraries give people a legitimate, morally and knowledge acquisition are core to public library
unimpeachable way to access free books. Library mission statements.35 As libraries, publishers and
borrowing also leads to book buying and discovery. authors collaborate to make reading legitimately-ac-
The Immersive Media and Books 2020 study found cessed digital books easier, the guiding principles
that 33% of the people who discovered a book at Fraser-Arnott identifies should be kept in mind.

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 15
5 RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on this report about Gen Z and millennials, we Libraries are fun. The library is more than books
researchers have two top-level recommendations and borrowing: library programming, innovative
supported by several specific ways libraries might resources, and safe spaces to chill out are all great
increase their relevance with Gen Z and millennials. uses of branch libraries. Our observational work at
Cuyahoga County Public Library branches showed
us that Gen Zers are coming to the library to hang
out with people and socialize after school.
1. Get in Gen Z Libraries protect privacy. Are patrons aware that
and Millennials’ libraries protect patron privacy and intentionally
Consideration Set do not collect their data? Gen Z and millennials are
habituated to exchanging their privacy for access
Many Gen Z and millennials report that shelves at to content and services, such as providing an email
public libraries are some of their favorite places to address or allowing their online behavior to be
browse for books. But their attention is corralled tracked. The core library value of not storing readers’
multiple times per day (if not per hour!) by ad-sup- borrowing histories may not necessarily resonate as
ported social media environments. How to get valuable to younger people. It’s time to make Gen
their attention? A simple external link from digital Z and millennials aware of why privacy is core to
borrowing apps, such as Libby, to the branch library’s libraries’ commitment to intellectual freedom.
website could make a big difference in keeping local
branch libraries squarely in Gen Z and millennials’ Libraries are green. Libraries are the ultimate
consideration set. green organizations in the book industry, reusing and
sharing books. Socially conscious and activist-driven
Gen Z and millennials align with companies and
organizations that are eco-friendly and reduce

2. Communicate Libraries’ carbon footprints. Want to reduce waste? Use your

local library. n
Unique Qualities
More than previous generations, Gen Z responds to
values-based marketing.36 The same people who buy
books at their local bookstore are people who might
champion libraries, if they knew their advocacy
would matter. Here are some of the value proposi-
tions libraries offer Gen Z and millennials and why
supporting libraries contributes to the greater social
good:

Libraries are free to visit and borrow from.

There may be confusion about why one would visit
a library, particularly for people whose only prior
experience of libraries is shaped by school libraries
which might have strict rules around noise and use.
Don’t assume all people know that public libraries
loan a wide range of materials, including ebooks and
audiobooks.

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 16
METHODOLOGY

This report on Gen Z and millennial library behaviors The report also covers a diverse range of income
is informed by two primary datasets, one quantita- levels. Of the 68.2% who had a job in the twelve
tive and the other qualitative. months prior to March 2022, 38.1% reported earning
The quantitative data comes from a survey of less than $30,000; 28.4% earned $30,000-$49,999;
2075 Gen Z and millennials (aged 13–40) in March 19.8% earned $50,000–74,999; 13.6% earned
2022. The survey was conducted through Qualtrics, $75,000+.
an industry-standard survey software that gathers The qualitative data comes from ethnographic
respondents according to parameters set by the research at two branches of Cuyahoga County (OH)
survey designers. The survey was designed to be Public Library: Garfield and South Euclid. We did
completed in 15 minutes or less; research shows that extra training and received certification from Port-
completion rates drop after 15 minutes. land State’s Institutional Review Board to include
Quotas were implemented for race, gender, and minors in this study.
region to ensure sample representativeness of this We conducted listening sessions with staff at
age group in the U.S. population. Gen Z represents Cuyahoga County Public named in the Acknowl-
44.3% of the overall sample (919 respondents) and edgments. We also talked informally with librarians
millennials 55.7% of the overall survey sample (1156 before and after our 2022 ALA panel37, and in corre-
respondents). spondence with librarians who reached out after our
talk.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Dr. Alan Inouye, Senior Director Manager), and Hallie Rich (Chief, Communica-
of Public Policy & Government Relations at the tions and External Relations). Particularly thanks to
American Library Association, for convening conver- Pamela Jankowski (Chief Public Services Officer) for
sation about the future of libraries in a 2022 round- arranging the branch visits. Thank you, Jen Deluke
table in Washington D.C. The roundtable included (Teen Librarian at Garfield Branch), Megan Barrett
former ALA President Sari Feldman, Brian O’Leary (Garfield Branch Manager), Emma Torrell (Teen
(Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Librarian at South Euclid Branch), Steve Haynie
Group), and Larra Clark (Deputy Director of ALA (South Euclid Branch Manager), and Louie Moore
Public Policy and Advocacy Office & Public Library (Mentor/Monitor at South Euclid Branch) as well as
Association), to all of whom we tender our thanks. the groups of young library patrons who welcomed
From this conversation, important questions were us into their spaces to learn and listen.
raised that this report answers.
We are grateful to the leadership team at
Cuyahoga County (OH) Public Library. Thank you
(in alphabetical order) Daniel Barden (Technical
Services Director), Wendy Bartlett (Branches
Manager), Kaitlin Booth (Digital Collections

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 17
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Albanese, Andrew. “ALA Midwinter 2020: Macmillan CEO John Lambert, Troy. “Retail Co-Location: Coffee at the Library.” 12 June
Sargent, Librarians Spar Over E-book Embargo.” Publishers 2017. publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/06/retail-co-location
Weekly. 26 January 2020. publishersweekly.com/pw/by -coffee-at-the-library.
-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/82261-ala-midwinter LeCharles Gonzalez, Guy. “Marketing Math: Penguin Random
-2020-macmillan-ceo-john-sargent-librarians-spar-over House’s 2 Percent Gambit”, Quoted in Friedman, The Hot
-e-book-embargo.html. Sheet 14 September 2022.
Albanese, Andrew. “In Final Order, Court Declares Maryland’s Leung, Eugina, Maria Cristina Cito, Gabriele Paolacci, and Stefano
Library Ebook Law Unconstitutional.” Publishers Weekly. June Puntoni. “Preference for Material Products in Identity-Based
14, 2022. publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/ Consumption.” Journal of Consumer Psychology 32, no. 4
libraries/article/89598-in-final-order-court-declares (2022): 672–679.
-maryland-s-library-e-book-law-unconstitutional.html.
Liao, Mengqi and S. Shyam Sundar, “#facebookdown: Time to
Alter, Alexander and Elizabeth Harris, “Some Surprising Good panic or detox? Understanding users’ reactions to social media
News: Bookstores Are Booming,” New York Times, July 10, outage.” CHI EA ‘22: Extended Abstracts of the 2022 CHI
2022. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. April
Bailey, E.R., Matz, S.C., Youyou, W. et al. “Authentic self-expres- 2022. dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3491101.3519674.
sion on social media is associated with greater subjective well- Melore, Chris. “Libraries are more popular than ever—even as
being.” Nature Communication 11, 4889 (2020). people borrow fewer books.” 5 April 2022. studyfinds.org/
doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18539-w. libraries-more-popular.
Berens, Kathi Inman. “Can Amazon’s Kindle Vella Break Through Noorda, Rachel. “The Discourse and Value of Being an Indepen-
with Younger Readers?” Publishers Weekly. 4 March 2022. dent Publisher.” Mémoires du livre/Studies in Book Culture 10,
publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/ no. 2 (2019).
article/88686-pla-pacific-northwest-spotlight-can-amazon
Noorda, Rachel and Kathi Inman Berens. Immersive Media and
-s-kindle-vella-break-through-with-younger-readers.html.
Books 2020. panoramaproject.org/immersive-media
Broomfield, Benjamin. “How to Bring AI Into Your Digital -reading-2020.
Marketing Strategy.” 16 September 2022. clickz.com/how-to
Pew Research Center, “The Whys and Hows of Generational
-bring-ai-into-your-digital-marketing-strategy/267393.
Research,” September 3, 2015, pewresearch.org/
Crawford Barniskis, Shannon. “Deconstructing the mission: A politics/2015/09/03/the-whys-and-hows-of-generations
critical content analysis of public library mission statements.” -research.
The Library Quarterly 86, no. 2 (2016): 135–152.
Potash, Steve. “Macmillan Publishes a Work of Fiction” [blog
Dimock, Michael. “Defining Generations: Where Millennials End post] 1 August 2019. overdrivesteve.com/macmillan
and Gen Z Begins”, Pew Research Center, Jan 17, 2019. -publishes-a-work-of-fiction.
Dwyer, Kate. “Kaia, Kendall and EmRata Are Taking a Page Raphael, Rina. “Netflix CEO Reed Hastings: Sleep Is Our
From Oprah.” New York Times. 9 March 2021. nytimes. Competition” Fast Company. 6 November 2017.
com/2021/03/09/style/kaia-gerber-book-club-kendall fastcompany.com/40491939/netflix-ceo-reed-hastings
-jenner-emily-ratajkowski-belletrist.html. -sleep-is-our-competition.
Fraser-Arnott, Melissa. “Exploring public library identity through Rea, Amy. “Reading Through the Ages.” Library Journal 144, no. 12
mission statements.” Public Library Quarterly 41, no. 3 (2022): (December 15, 2019): 16–20. libraryjournal.com/story/
236–256. Reading-Through-the-Ages-Generational-Reading-Survey.
Geiger, A.W. “Millennials are the most likely generation of Amer- Rich, Hallie. “Stakeholder Interviews About Ebook Data.” [Report
icans to use public libraries.” 21 June 2017. pewresearch.org/ for ALA.] Draft. 2022.
fact-tank/2017/06/21/millennials-are-the-most-likely
Squires, Claire. “The Passion and Pragmatism of the Small
-generation-of-americans-to-use-public-libraries.
Publisher.” In The Contemporary Small Press, pp. 199–218.
Hessekiel, David. “Values & Value: The Gen Z Paradox.” Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2020.
forbes.com/sites/davidhessekiel/2022/10/24/values--value
Tyson, Alec, Brian Kennedy, and Cary Funk. “Gen Z, Millen-
-the-gen-z-paradox/?sh=35c18a1c273b.
nials Stand Out for Climate Change Activism, Social Media
JungleScout. Amazon Advertising Report 2022. junglescout.com/ Engagement With Issue.” 26 May 2021. pewresearch.org/
wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Amazon-Advertising-Report science/2021/05/26/gen-z-millennials-stand-out-for-climate-
-2022-Jungle-Scout.pdf. change-activism-social-media-engagement-with-issue.
Katz, Roberta, Sarah Ogilvie, Jane Shaw and Linda Woodhead. Vogels, Emily A., Risa Gelles-Watnick, and Navid Massarat.
Gen Z, Explained. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 2021. “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022.” Pew
Research Center. 10 August 2022. pewresearch.org/

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 18
 internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and .org/internet/2014/09/10/younger-americans-relationships
-technology-2022. -with-public-libraries
WordsRated, “State of US Public Libraries—More Popular & Zuboff, Shoshana. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight
Digital Than Ever.” 17 Feb 2022. wordsrated.com/state-of-us for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. Public
-public-libraries. Affairs, 2019.
Zickhur, Kathryn and Lee Rainie. “Younger Americans’ Relation-
ships with Public Libraries.” 10 September 2014. pewresearch

ENDNOTES

1. Dimock, Michael, “Defining Generations: Where Millennials most-likely-generation-of-americans-to-use-public

End and Gen Z Begins”, Pew Research Center, January 17, -libraries.
2019, pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where 9. “Among those ages 16–29, the percentage who visited a public
-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins library in person in the previous [twelve months] dropped
2. Pew Research Center, “The Whys and Hows of Generational from 58% in November 2012 to 50% in September 2013,
Research,” September 3, 2015, pewresearch.org/ with the largest drop occurring among 18–24 year-olds.” See
politics/2015/09/03/the-whys-and-hows-of-generations Zickuhr and Rainie (2014), the section “Relationships with
-research. public libraries.”
3. See Methodology section below. 10. “State of US Public Libraries—More Popular & Digital Than
4. Approximately 400 U.S. public libraries can provide access Ever.” WordsRated. February 17, 2022. wordsrated.com/state
to 1000 Audible “original” titles through the Palace app from -of-us-public-libraries.
the Digital Public Library of America [DPLA] Exchange, as 11. Noorda and Berens (2020). Note that the survey population in
of May 2023, according to Michael Blackwell, Director of that study screened for people 1) were 18 years or older and 2)
the St. Mary’s County [Maryland] library. 20,000+ Audible who had engaged with at least one book, in any format and in
titles should be available through Palace by the end of 2024. any context, during the previous twelve months.
However, Blackwell notes, “none of these titles are avail- 12. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, “Marketing Math: Penguin Random
able through OverDrive (which has about 90% of the library House’s 2 Percent Gambit”, Quoted in Friedman, The Hot
market), so it could be argued that in effect many [public] Sheet September 14, 2022.
libraries will not have access” to Amazon’s subscription-only
13. Italie, Hillel, “‘Nothing else felt guaranteed anymore so why
content. There are no known licensing arrangements between
not just try to be happy?’ The indie bookstore revivalists reveal
public libraries and Naver’s Webtoon or Radish.
how they made a big comeback”, Fortune, May 22, 2023,
5. Vogels, Emily A., Risa Gelles-Watnick, and Navid Massarat. fortune.com/2023/05/22/independent-bookstores
“Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022.” Pew Research -surge-pandemic-community-entrepreneurs.
Center. 10 August 2022. pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/
14. publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/06/retail-co-location-coffee
teens-social-media-and-technology-2022.
-at-the-library.
6. Gen Z person (Jordan) quoted in Katz et al., Gen Z, Explained,
15. Statista. “Global number of users of South Korean online
p.11. The book summarizes the findings of a multiyear,
service Naver Webtoon from 2019 to June 2022.” statista.com/
multidisciplinary, interview-based study conducted primarily
statistics/1291529/naver-webtoon-global-user-number.
on three college campuses. It was sponsored by the Knight
Foundation and housed at Stanford University’s Center for 16. For a fascinating look into how Kindle Vella is faring two years
Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. after launch, see this Reddit thread: “Is Kindle Vella Dead as a
Strategy” [for self-publishing authors]: reddit.com/r/
7. See: Bailey, Erica R. et al. “Authentic self-expression on social
selfpublish/comments/10kgr3m/is_kindle_vella_dead
media is associated with greater subjective well-being” 6 Oct.
_as_a_strategy.
2020 in Nature Communication 11, 4889 (2020). nature
.com/articles/s41467-020-18539-w. And: Liao, Mengqi and 17. See also in this report section 4.1 “Amazon Frames Gen Z and
S. Shyam Sundar, “#facebookdown: Time to panic or detox? Millennial Book Expectations.”
Understanding users’ reactions to social media outage.” CHI 18. Serial reading platforms have different modes of incentivizing
EA ‘22: Extended Abstracts of the 2022 CHI Conference on payment. For example, Webtoon offers a single-read “fast pass”
Human Factors in Computing Systems. April 2022. dl.acm.org/ and “coins” to permanently unlock the content. On the fiction
doi/10.1145/3491101.3519674. app Radish, new updates make older episodes eligible to be
8. Geiger, “Millennials are the most likely generation of read for free. Readers must “wait until the episode you want to
Americans to use public libraries,” June 21, 2017, pew read has the hourglass symbol next to it, rather than the lock” to
research.org/fact-tank/2017/06/21/millennials-are-the- read. There’s a gamified element to reading in these contexts.

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 19
19. There are many books and other resources about the attention 29. Statista. statista.com/statistics/199012/number-of-barnes
economy. See, for example, Shoshana Zuboff’s The Age of -noble-stores-by-type-and-year-since-2005.
Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the 30. Albanese, Andrew. “ALA Midwinter 2020: Macmillan CEO
New Frontier of Power (2019). John Sargent, Librarians Spar Over E-book Embargo.”
20. “Talent” refers to creators across media, such as authors, Publishers Weekly. 26 January 2020. publishersweekly.com/
livestreamers, comics artists, professional gamers, podcasters, pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/82261-ala
and comedians. -midwinter-2020-macmillan-ceo-john-sargent-librarians
21. Social lists are recommendation lists on online social platforms -spar-over-e-book-embargo.html.
such as Instagram, Reddit, and Discord. 31. Andrew Albanese reported: “In a June 13 [2022] opinion and
22. Vogels et al., 2022. order, Judge Deborah L. Boardman declared Maryland’s library
ebook law [mandating “reasonable terms”] ‘unconstitutional
23. Kristen McLean, NPD analyst, discussed the role of TikTok in
and unenforceable’” because it violated the Copyright Act.
driving the “70 percent of overall gains” in Q1 of 2022 book
See Albanese, “Maryland Library Ebook Law,” publisher-
sales. Quoted in Friedman, The Hot Sheet 27 April 2022.
sweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/
mailchi.mp/hotsheetpub/nft-issue?e=6cd1ad34c1.
89598-in-final-order-court-declares-maryland-s-library
24. A touchpoint is any time a customer comes into contact with a -e-book-law-unconstitutional.html.
product, before, during or after sale.
32. Noorda and Berens (2020).
25. Dwyer, Kate. “Kaia, Kendall and EmRata Are Taking a Page
33. Ibid.
From Oprah.” New York Times. 9 March 2021. nytimes.com/
2021/03/09/style/kaia-gerber-book-club-kendall-jenner 34. Fraser-Arnott, Melissa. “Exploring public library identity
-emily-ratajkowski-belletrist.html. through mission statements.” Public Library Quarterly 41, no. 3
(2022): 236–256.
26. David C. Edelman, Harvard Business School professor of AI
and marketing, quoted in “How to Bring AI Into Your Digital 35. Crawford Barniskis, Shannon. “Deconstructing the mission: A
Marketing Strategy.” clickz.com/how-to-bring-ai-into-your critical content analysis of public library mission statements.”
-digital-marketing-strategy/267393. The Library Quarterly 86, no. 2 (2016): 135–152.

27. Leung, Eugina, Maria Cristina Cito, Gabriele Paolacci, and 36. Hessekiel, David. “Values & Value: The Gen Z Paradox.”
Stefano Puntoni. “Preference for Material Products in Identity- forbes.com/sites/davidhessekiel/2022/10/24/values--value
Based Consumption.” Journal of Consumer Psychology 32, no. -the-gen-z-paradox/?sh=35c18a1c273b.
4 (2022): 672–679. 37. Berens and Noorda, “News You Can Use: Why Is Amazon a
28. Noorda and Berens (2020). Note that the survey population in “Library” for GenZ and Millennials? And What Should Librar-
that study screened for people 1) were 18 years or older and 2) ians Do About It?” American Library Association Conference
who had engaged with at least one book, in any format and in 2022, July 26, 2022.
any context, during the previous twelve months.

The American Library Association (“ALA”) is the foremost national organization providing resources
to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential
programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic,
public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in
enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

For further information about this publication, contact:

Dr. Kathi Inman Berens, Portland State University, [email protected]

Dr. Rachel Noorda, Portland State University, [email protected]
Alan Inouye, American Library Association, [email protected]

Published November 2023. © 2023 American Library Association.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License,
available at: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. c b

Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use 20