Delaware State Legislative Primary Candidate Survey on Library Issues Results Released

The Delaware Library Association (DLA)  and the Friends of Delaware Libraries (FODL) with assistance from EveryLibrary, recently conducted a survey of all State Legislative and County-Level candidates running for office in the 2024 Primary Election to gauge their support for school and public libraries. 

The Candidate Questionnaire was created to inform the public about where their candidates stand on these school and public library issues. The respondents expressed overwhelming support for both public and school libraries in Delaware.

Selected and summarized responses include:

• 83% strongly agree that all students should have access to school libraries and state-certified school library media specialists.
• 100% of respondents agree or strongly agree that librarians are essential to student success and are a crucial part of the education system.
• 87% of candidates support additional operational funding for public libraries in Delaware, with 70% stating they support increasing funding by $2.25 million to align with Bond Bill funding to ensure libraries can meet community needs.
• 87% of candidates agree or strongly agree that literacy programs that promote individual learning and the exploration of new ideas and topics are a vital part of public libraries.

EveryLibrary provided survey hosting capabilities, support for communications and outreach to candidates, and technical assistance in developing and reporting on questions. For additional details, view the Delaware Library Association’s Press Release and infographic on these survey results here.