Review of Recent Book Ban Polls and Voter Surveys

The EveryLibrary Institute is collecting and analyzing polling and surveys about book bans, anti-access legislation, and the perception of libraries/librarians to help advocates quickly find and interpret results. We have compiled voter-facing polls conducted by issue advocacy groups, new media, and research institutions since our previous review of book ban polls and voter surveys in January 2023.

Our original review of surveys in 2023 indicated a strong opposition among American voters to book bans and censorship in schools and public libraries. The overall perception of libraries and librarians was positive, suggesting an electorate that values access to diverse literature.

Top findings from surveys since that time indicate that book bans are the result of a minority of special interest actors pushing minority opinions and that the majority of American voters do not support censorship in public and school libraries. Trust in the profession and in library professionals remains high and the public wants librarians to be in control of collection development decisions.  

These 8 surveys suggest that a significant majority of the public opposes book bans, with a substantial majority of voters in some surveys supporting state legislation to protect individuals' rights to read freely. Some surveys show that as many as three-quarters of voters believe that ensuring people have access to diverse books is essential. More than half of Americans appear to feel that book bans infringe on their right to make decisions for their children. 

There is some support for restrictions as well. Some polls show that nearly half of voters surveyed believe that there are circumstances where books should be banned. Other polls show that perhaps a third of American voters support some form of book restrictions. It is important for free speech and pro-library advocates to read and analyze these polls for insights into the fight against censorship and misinformation surrounding libraries. 

These surveys also indicate that an overwhelming majority of voters trust librarians. Perhaps as many as three-quarters of Americans agree that librarians are professionals worthy of trust in providing children with suitable curricula and reading materials.

2023-2024 Polling About Book Bans and Censorship 

What Do Michiganders Really Think? MLA Public Opinion Survey on Public Libraries and Book Banning (Michigan Library Association, March 2023) 

“We have always known that most voters and parents hold librarians in high regard, have confidence in their public libraries to make good decisions about what books to include in their collections, and agree that libraries in their communities do a good job offering books that represent a variety of viewpoints... We now have specific Michigan data to back this up.”  

• Book bans
  • “An 83% majority of all respondents would support state legislation that would protect the right of the public to read what they wish to read in local public libraries and not have books banned. This includes 95% of Democrats, 89% of Independents and 70% of Republicans.”
  • “A 42% plurality of all respondents agreed that “there is absolutely no time when a book should be banned from local public libraries,” 45% said “there are rare times when it may be appropriate to ban books from local public libraries,” with 9% saying “there are many inappropriate books that should be banned from local public libraries.” A 57% majority of Democrats, a 46% plurality of Independents and 27% of Republicans say books should never be banned, with another 40% of Democrats, 47% of Independents and 49% of Republicans saying books should rarely be banned.”
  • “67% of all respondents said that “books with discussions about sex, gender identity or sexual orientation” should never be banned, with 21% saying they should sometimes be banned and 9% saying they should always be banned. An 86% majority of Democrats, 76% of Independents and 46% of Republicans said these books should never be banned.”
  • “A 75% solid majority of all respondents said they agree the most that “we need to protect the ability of young people to have access to books from which they can learn about and understand different perspectives and help them grow into adults who can think for themselves,” while only 17% agreed that “we need to protect young people from books that they might find upsetting or that reflect ideologies and lifestyles that are outside of the mainstream.”  A 93% majority of Democrats, 81% of Independents and 56% of Republicans agree.”      
  • “An 80% overwhelming majority of all respondents agreed with the statement that “individual parents can set rules for their own children, but they do not have the right to decide for other parents what books are available to their children,” with 15% agreeing that “parents have a right NOT to have their children exposed to objectionable books at the library and should be able to join with other parents to have those books removed from the library.” This includes 94% of Democrats, 86% of Independents and 64% of Republicans.” 
  • “A 77% solid majority of all respondents agreed that “local public libraries should have a diverse collection of books and reading materials that represents the community and the world around us,” while only 15% agree that “anyone who opposes objectionable material is just pushing a woke ideology that is trying to indoctrinate our children with ideas about LGBTQ, transgender youth and promoting lifestyles that they should not be exposed to.”  This includes 92% of Democrats, 83% of Independents and 60% of Republicans.”
  • “A 57% majority of voters said that they are less likely to vote for their member of Congress, State Senator or State Representative in the next election if they support legislation that would allow or require books to be banned from their local public library (38% would be much less likely). This includes 81% of Democrats, 58% of Independents and 36% of Republicans.”
• Perceptions of librarians 
  • “A 71% solid majority of all respondents gave local public libraries in Michigan – including their local public library – a positive rating for the job they are doing providing programs, services and a diverse, quality collection of books and other materials to their library patrons (34% excellent), with only 8% giving libraries a negative rating (3% poor), and 21% “undecided.” A 79% majority of Democrats, 68% of Independents and 65% of Republicans offer a positive job rating.”
  • “A 70% majority of all respondents said that librarians are very capable (33%) or mostly capable (37%) and trustworthy to decide which books and reading materials should be included in your local library collections. Another 18% said librarians are only a little capable (12%) or not really capable at all (6%) in deciding what books and reading materials should comprise the collection, with 12% undecided. This includes 85% of Democrats, 67% of Independents and 57% of Republicans.” 

Americans' views on book bans and the challenged books that they have read (YouGov, May 2023) 

“While there is some support for book bans generally, majorities of Americans who have read nearly every one of the titles on the poll's list of banned books say they should not be banned.” 

• Book bans
  • 46% to 35% of Americans say there are times when books should be banned from public school classrooms or school libraries. (Republicans 63%, Independents 41%, Democrats 38%).
  • 42% to 24% of Americans say there are times when books should be banned from public libraries. (Republicans 42%, Democrats 28%, Independents 24%). 
  • Readers were more willing to say some of the newer books should be banned than classic books 

Poll: Americans say teachers are underpaid, about half of Republicans oppose book bans (NPR/ Ipsos, June 2023) 

“The majority of Americans oppose book banning in schools.”

• Book bans
  
  • When it comes to state lawmakers removing certain books from schools, such bans have the support of just 5% of Democrats, 16% of Independents and 35% of Republicans. Fifty-two percent of Republicans oppose such efforts.
  • While Republicans are more likely to support local school boards doing the banning – 41% versus just 7% of Democrats and 21% of Independents – 46% of Republicans still oppose such efforts.

Threats to American Democracy Ahead of an Unprecedented Presidential Election (Public Religion Research Institute, October 2023)  

“Despite controversies erupting around the country regarding the teaching of American history, overwhelming majorities of Americans today support teaching the good and the bad of American history, trust public school teachers to select appropriate curriculum, and strongly oppose the banning of books that discuss slavery or the banning of Advanced Placement (AP) African American History.” 

• Book bans
  • Fewer than one in ten Americans favor the banning of books that include depictions of slavery from being taught in public schools (7%), compared with 88% who oppose such bans. About the same number of Republicans (7%), independents (7%), and Democrats (9%) favor banning these books. There are few attitudinal differences across various demographics, including religious affiliation, generations, race, education, gender, region, or whether Americans live in rural, suburban, and urban areas.
• Perceptions of librarians
  • Three-quarters of Americans (75%) agree that public school teachers and librarians are professionals whom we should trust to provide our kids with appropriate curriculum and books that teach the good and bad of American history, compared with 22% who believe that public school teachers and librarians should not be allowed to develop curriculum and teach books that wrongly portray America as a racist country. 
  • Democrats (92%) are more likely than independents (73%) and Republicans (61%) to agree that teachers and librarians should be trusted to teach history appropriately. 
  • Americans who trust Fox News (49%) or far-right media outlets the most (36%) are less likely to agree that teachers and librarians should be trusted to teach history appropriately, compared with those who trust no TV news source (75%) or most trust mainstream media sources (88%). 

Gen Z & Millennials are visiting the library & prefer print books (American Library Association, November 2023) 

“Libraries are a notable way Gen Z and Millennials discover books." 

• Perceptions of libraries
  
  • Younger library users view the library as a place to “sample” materials, supplementing and informing their purchases and paid subscriptions of books, information, and media.
  • Libraries attract even Gen Z and millennials who don’t identify as readers. 23% of Gen Z and millennials had visited a physical library in a twelve-month period AND did not identify as readers.

Parent Perceptions Survey Series 2023 from EveryLibrary Institute and Book Riot (EveryLibrary Institute, January 2024)

“The survey findings indicate that most American parents are opposed to book bans and censorship. They value the expertise of librarians and believe that these professionals play an important role in helping children navigate sensitive content.” 

• Book bans
  • 67% of respondents feel that book bans infringe on their rights to make decisions for their children.
  • 63% of respondents agree or somewhat agree that “banning books is a waste of time” at the public library. 
  • 57% of respondents say banning books from the school library is an appropriate way to prevent children from learning about certain topics. 
• Perceptions of librarians
  
  • 85% of respondents say they trust librarians.
  • 58% of parents think public librarians should be primarily responsible for what books are selected for the public library as opposed to elected officials, library boards, or parent groups.

YouGov Survey: Public Libraries (YouGov, April 2024) 

Andrew Van Dam of The Washington Post wrote a column on this poll. He said, “So who are the disengaged? If we’re overgeneralizing, we’d say they’re less educated, work fewer hours and earn less. But they still have a very favorable opinion of libraries and librarians, think libraries are very important and want to increase their funding. They just don’t visit them. Or read much. Maybe these folks just love pounding that “no” button when they take surveys. But given the diversity of responses, we can’t help imagining that a deeper factor is at play — that going to the library is a decent signal of your broader engagement with society.” Top findings 

• Book bans
  • Democrats are more likely to believe that restrictions are politically driven. 
  • Republicans are more likely to believe that restrictions stem from genuine worries about harmful content.
• Perceptions of the profession
  • 45% of respondents have a very favorable opinion of librarians, 34% of respondents have a somewhat favorable opinion of librarians. 
  • Democrats are more likely to see librarians as politically neutral and regard them favorably. 
  • 35% of respondents think that recent efforts to shield librarians and public libraries from political influence are more often motivated by sincere concerns about free speech and equal protection. 41% think that they are politically motivated. 
  • 21% support legislation that grants public librarians the power to determine the content of their collections. 32% support such a bill. 
  • Only 12% of respondents strongly support legislation that imprisons public librarians for giving minors access to content deemed obscene by state officials. 

Americans’ Views on Book Restrictions in U.S. Public Schools 2024 (Knight Foundation, August 2024)

“At their base, results show that the public broadly opposes book restrictions in the schools, expresses confidence in the schools to select appropriate books and sees a bigger risk in depriving students of access to books with educational value than in giving them access to books that are inappropriate.” 

• Book bans
  • Roughly 33% of respondents support book restrictions
  • 60% see age appropriateness as a valid reason to restrict access to books; fewer believe blocking books due to political, religious, or moral disagreements is justified.
  • 90% believe any public school parent should be allowed to submit a book complaint; three-quarters think an investigation should follow only after multiple complaints.
  • More people prioritize protecting students' access to educational books over restricting inappropriate content.
  • Controversial topics are deemed more appropriate for older students as opposed to elementary aged students.
  • Views on book access and restrictions show sharp divisions, particularly along ideological lines.
• Perceptions of librarians
  • 78% of adults are confident that their community's public schools choose appropriate books for students.
  • No single group is widely trusted to select age-appropriate books.
  • Roughly 50% of Americans trust librarians and teachers to select appropriate books.
  • About two-thirds believe public school teachers and librarians should have significant input on library collection development.
  • 57% of adults feel pre-K-12 parents should have significant input on library collection development.
  • Only around 20% trust state government or non-pre-K-12 community members to have significant input on library collection development. 

Read the 2022-2023 Survey of Surveys on EveryLibrary Institute