Current Trends in the Evolution of Public Libraries Based on Global Library Statistics

The study identifies current trends in the global evolution of public libraries based on an analysis of contemporary national library statistics from thirty-three countries around the world. It is determined that in economically advanced countries the network of public libraries is steadily declining, which indicates a significant decrease in the demand for libraries in high-tech societies, where users predominantly rely on digital information streams that render library visits unnecessary. Meanwhile, developing countries exhibit the opposite trend: the number of public libraries in those countries is increasing, which is typical for catch-up development that requires improving population literacy rates. However, the ratio of libraries per capita in developing countries remains significantly lower than in high-tech nations. Thus, countries of different development levels are converging towards a new equilibrium in the necessary ratio of public libraries per capita that meets the demands of digital society. Among the thirty-three analyzed countries, only three diverge from these described trends: despite their advanced economies and already high ratios of libraries per capita, these countries continue to show an increase in the number of libraries. All these countries—Australia, South Korea, and Indonesia—are characterized by a radical expansion of the functions of public libraries, which gradually transforms them into community communication centers that perform a wide range of functions: from organizing enriching leisure activities to providing opportunities for lifelong learning and fostering literate and intellectually developed communities.