Voters reveal public library value: Evidence from US referendums

Qualitative research has shown public libraries to be well-loved institutions. But, as they are increasingly under attack in the US, quantitatively understanding the drivers of public voting support can help policy makers establish allocation priorities. Using novel voter response datasets (2010–2022) at the library system-year level nationally (N = 982), and at the precinct-year level within Washington state (N = 5,380), referendum modeling approaches are used to investigate local preferences for public libraries. Further, this study probes environmental condition effects on preferences. Results indicate that with precinct-year level estimations, voter preferences for facility access overwhelm other effects. Where a precinct contains a library building, the probability of a Yes vote increases 13%. Library support decreases 4% for every additional mile traveled to a location and is sensitive to extreme heat events. Taken together, the results demonstrate significant empirical support for libraries as critical infrastructure.