What do people do when their technology breaks down?

The Pew Internet and American Life Project has released a new study: When Technology Fails.  How many people need help, and with what?  From whom?  With what effects?  A few highlights from the study:

• 48% of tech users need help from others in getting new devices and services to work.
• In the past year, 44% of respondents with home internet access had it fail and 39% with desktop or laptop computers had them fail.
• When something breaks, 38% of users contact user support for help, 28% just fix it themselves, 15% ask friends or family for help, and 2% find help online.
• 59% felt impatient to solve the problem because they had important uses for the broken technology.

I don't think that last statistic will come as a shocker to anyone.  The tech breaks when you're trying to use it, and what you're using it for is usually important, resulting in you feeling impatient, frustrated, and just plain angry at the darn machine.  Bah! 

So what does this mean for libraries?  Well, we have a known opportunity here: being a resource for people with failed devices.  Offering them free wifi when theirs goes down.  Offering public access computers when their desktop implodes.  Offering computer self-help manuals and online access to many more resources.  We also have staff with expertise in certain devices and technologies that can sometimes make a red-faced patron leave smiling and shaking your hand enthusiastically, repeating over and over "I can't believe you fixed it!  I can't believe it!"  Ah yes, we, the librarians, the miracle workers :)

See?  This is why technology training in your libraries is important.