A new survey sheds light on the perceptions of parents regarding public libraries and the current issues they face. The “Public Libraries and Book Bans – Parent Perception Survey” gathered insights from 853 parents and guardians with children under 18 during September 2023. The survey asked parents and guardians to share their experiences and opinions about book bans, their trust in libraries, their understanding of librarians’ book selection process, and their feelings on sensitive subjects in children’s books.

Top-level findings show that a majority of respondents (67%) think that “banning books is a waste of time,” and 74% agree or somewhat agree that book bans infringe on their right to make decisions for their children. The survey also found that 92% of all respondents feel their child/children are safe at the library, and 58% think librarians should be primarily responsible for what books are selected in the public library.

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