| Popis: |
In this dissertation, I study topics in public and labor economics using tools from applied econometrics.In Chapter 1, we show that the historical rollout of public libraries --- which promoted access to knowledge for millions of people --- increased the innovation output of recipient towns. Patenting in recipient towns increased by 8-12 percent in the 20 years following library entry. We show that this increase is concentrated in technology classes that overlap with library holdings. The number of women and immigrant inventors also increased after libraries opened. We provide evidence that additional access to scientific knowledge and opportunities to interact with fellow patrons are possible mechanisms.In Chapter 2, we show that increases in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) during childhood affect college choices. Increased EITC is associated with raising the probability that youth attend four-year rather than two-year schools and higher-quality four-year schools. To understand this result, we explore two possible mechanisms. Increased EITC may augment skills developed before college entry. More pre-college skill matters because it makes attending high quality colleges more attainable and valuable. Increased tax credits may also relieve actual or perceived financial constraints associated with higher-quality colleges. We find evidence for both mechanisms, with effects on pre-college skills explaining most of the results. We also find that EITC responses are largest for youth with many local colleges. This suggests that additional geographic targeting of the EITC and similar transfer programs may improve welfare.In Chapter 3, we study the effects of local library spending on communities in contemporary America. We use discrete shocks in capital investment to estimate the effect of capital spending on library resources, library usage, and the test scores of children. We show that library capital investment has sharp, persistent, and positive effects on library resources in a town: increasing operating expenditures, the number of library employees, the number of visits by local residents, and children's usage of libraries. We also find evidence that library investment increases the English (but not math) test scores of children living near the newly improved library. |
