Library Policies and Patron Use Studies

This latest research describes the status of library-related policymaking and patrons’ library usage across the U.S. The summary compiles an eye-opening stack of bills that have been passed, enacted, vetoed, or left to wither on the vine. The document also details how coalitions are forming in support of intellectual freedom nationwide.

A separate report indicates that library visits and print circulation have declined more than 50% since 2011, while digital circulation has risen from 8% to 45% in the past decade. Though digital is up, the report also attests that patron demand for “more nonfiction and more backlist” print titles is going unmet. The report observed “no diminution in people’s need for reading” in the U.S., with 80–85% of respondents borrowing print and digital material. The data indicated that “the overwhelming use of libraries is for reading” and “contrary to general belief, there is a relatively small number of users of programs and services,” a topic worthy of closer investigation in case program participation or community service is underreported.

EveryLibrary. (2025). Codifying Censorship or Reclaiming Rights? The State-by-State 2025 Legislative Landscape for Libraries. Author. https://www.everylibrary.org/state_by_state_2025_legislative_landscape_report

Coates, T. (2025). Freckle Project. Tim Coates Books. https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/freckle_project_surveys_reports

Student Use of ChatGPT Research

 Recent research from MIT scientists compared the brain activity of students who used ChatGPT when writing to those who did not. The team's findings suggest that using ChatGPT resulted in less brain activity and inferior writing for students. However, “We didn't find any brain rot,” says Nataliya Kosmyna, a research scientist at MIT Media Lab.

Kosyna, N. (2025). Your brain on ChatGPT. Arvix. 

https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872

Teen and Teacher Use of AI Studies

A recent report investigated how American teens ages 13 to 17 are engaging with AI companions, based on a nationally representative survey of 1,060 teens conducted in April and May 2025. Notably, a third of teens reported using AI companions for social interaction and relationship support.

Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions. (2025). Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/talk-trust-and-trade-offs_2025_web.pdf

 

A recent report highlights how AI tools are reshaping teachers’ workloads, boosting instructional quality, and increasing classroom optimism. According to the findings, 60% of teachers used AI tools during the 2024–25 school year, with regular weekly users saving nearly six hours per week, time they redirected toward personalized teaching, more detailed student feedback, and improved communication with parents. They found that teachers who engage with AI more frequently tend to see more potential for AI tools in education.

Teaching for Tomorrow: Unlocking Six Weeks a Year With AI. (2025). Gallup/Walton Family Foundation. https://www.gallup.com/analytics/659819/k-12-teacher-research.aspx

Preteen mental health and social media study

 A new survey of 11- to 13-year-olds looks at how cellphones and social media affect kids’ mental health—and finds that certain behaviors are more associated with adverse outcomes. While  78% of respondents said they have their own smartphone, and 99% said they often use at least one kind of electronic device, owning or using these devices isn't the problem: pub Children who post publicly posting and sharing online even occasionally are more likely than their peers to report feeling depressed and anxious and get too little sleep. Professor Sharon Hoover stated, “The takeaways for schools are that, yes, the use of phones, including social media use, impacts kids’ mental health and that schools really do have a role to play in terms of digital literacy and ensuring kids are set up with proper knowledge and guardrails around these things.” Digital literacy is to safer phone and social media use.

Martin, J. D., Song, S. W., Rote, W. R., Bakour, C., Rance, L. T., Scacco, J. M., & Marcus, S. (2025). The Life in Media Survey: A baseline study of digital media use and well-being among 11- to 13-year-olds. Researchers at the University in South Florida in collaboration with The Harris Poll. Retrieved from lifeinmediasurvey.org

Book format ROI study

This 2025 study focused on bestsellers and other notable books to provide a fairly accurate picture of what librarians face when selecting and maintaining digital content. In comparing print and ebook formats, researchers found that “The data forces us to conclude, reluctantly, that not only does print still offer libraries a far better bang-per-book than digital, but that for most popular titles, digital collections are becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. Some smaller and independent publishers are, however, now more likely to be present in the market and offer some hope for long-term and cost-effective holdings.”

Blackwell, M. et al. (2025). Ebook availability, licensing, and pricing in Canada and the U.S. Computers in Libraries, 45(6).

https://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/jul25/Blackwell-Halperin-Mason-Parker--Ebook-Availability-Licensing-and-Pricing-in-Canada-and-the-US-A-Follow-Up-Study.shtml

Trends in YA literacy study

 Despite its name, the young adult genre is increasingly dominated by stories about older teens and even adults. But as protagonists get older, younger readers are getting left behind, a University of Mississippi study indicates.

Ally Watkins. (2025). Is Popular Young Adult Literature Aging Up?, New Review of Children's Literature and Librarianship.  DOI: 10.1080/13614541.2025.2513193

http://schoollibraryjournal.com/story/6-Grant-Opportunities-School-Libraries