SLIS Notes: Building Advocacy

In 2016, the Pew Research Center found that 66 percent of adults believe that the public library has a positive role in their communities and believe in the educational role of libraries. Beyond education, respondents felt that libraries had a role in supporting businesses, technology, and other services, and were important parts of the community (Pew, 2016). Libraries continue to be “among the most trusted public institutions in our democratic society. Nevertheless, public libraries are struggling to regulate the library space as a space for all in democratic societies with increasing polarization” (Yamagishi, Koizumi, & Larsen, 2024, p. 1359). As American public libraries face increased censorship challenges and negative portrayals in the news, it becomes even more important than ever that libraries build advocates.