Ekaterina Walsh - Gen Y Information Use Patterns

Walsh works for Forrester Research which has published research - Get Ready For the

Net Powered Generation. Generation Y is defined as 16-22 year olds. This is the first

generation to grow up in the digital world. They surveyed 30,000 in the past year and

also conduct an annual survey of 100,000 households. When they asked 16-22 year

olds which company they would trust with their money, one third said Microsoft.

Why care?

• These are huge numbers - 70 million Gen Y people live in the US.

• Long term potential - if they establish habits (like using libraries) early in life

they tend to continue - have brand loyalty.

• They are a completely new breed of consumer - they are different from us.

• Gen Y - 16-22 year olds represent 10% of all Americans.

• They are active Internet users - 56% are online (while 3% of adult households were

online in 1999.)

• Why do they use information?

• 85% are interested in what's going on.

• To make better decisions.

• To shop - 2/3 go to Mercado, sites that drop prices based on sales volume.

• go online first before they go to the store to buy something.

• Top reasons to use the Internet:

1. Communication.

2. Entertainment.

3. Information access.

Television channels they watch for information: Fox, Networks.

TV Internet sites they visited - #1 is Comedy Central.

Magazines they read - A & E.

Magazine web sites - computer magazines online.

Newspaper they read - local newspapers.

Online newspapers - local newspapers.

This shows complementation - each medium serves a different purpose. New media

doesn't kill off old media, it just adds to the mix.

They use:_________For:________________

Television sports, local news

Newspapers ads

Internet games, information, travel, adult entertainment

Radio music

Word of mouth powerful for recommendations

Magazines secondary source

They read news both in print and online, but online newspapers and magazines don't

pose a threat to cancellation of subscriptions. Online web sites stimulate interest in

buying the publication - 21 % say they purchased it because of a web site.

• Why go to a site? #1 - usefulness, #2 - up to date information and content.

• EBooks - very few know what it is or have it.

• Why read online? Free, fast, more up to date and easier to read online.

• They like the feel of newspaper - 33%.

• They trust content more in print - 13% - in this order:

• newspaper

• television

• radio

• magazine

• internet

• direct mail

• Within the Internet what do they trust the most?

• Online versions of newspapers.

• Email/chat with people they know

• Online magazine (Salon, The Street).

• Within the Internet what do they trust the least? Chat rooms.

• Using multiple media may cause information overload - 38 % feel overwhelmed by

the amount of information.

Digital Divide - survey research shows that four factors determine whether someone is

online or not: 1. Income - richer are more likely to be online

2. Age - younger are more likely.

3. Education - higher education more likely.

4. Technological optimism

Race or culture is not the issue. In fact, in a survey of 85,000 households both online

and off line they found that:

• 69% of Asian American households are online.

• 47% of Hispanic households are online.

• 43% of white households are online.

• 33% African American households are online and are the fastest growing.

Most adults include a few early adopters, many mainstream users and a few laggards

when it comes to using technology. Gen Y'ers are so far ahead they don't adapt, they

internalize it. Adoption means doing old things in new ways - check bank account,

shopping, auctions, stock trading. Internalizing means doing new things in new ways -

file sharing, demand driven pricing, multi-tasking (only 10% say they don't do other

things while online.)

Differences: Adults Gen Y

43% are online 66% are online

10 hours online a week 13 hours online a week

1 location per visit 4 locations (everywhere they can)

2 activities weekly 4 activities weekly

55% high speed access 70% high speed access

Information is a commodity and information is everywhere.

Stanford-California State Library Institute on 21st Century Librarianship Summer 2000

Informal Notes by Susan Martimo Choi