Pew Study: Parents Say Libraries are Important for Kids

A new national study revealed that the vast majority (94 percent) of parents of children younger than 18 feel that libraries are very important for their children. That value carries over into those parents’ own higher-than-average use of a wide range of library services.

The Pew Research Center found that 84 percent of these parents say a major reason they want their children to have access to libraries is that libraries help instill their children’s love of reading and books. Another 81 percent say that libraries provide their children with information and resources not available at home.

Parents in the Western Springs and La Grange Park communities are among those who take advantage of the children's programs and services offered by their libraries.  In fact, 33 percent of Thomas Ford Memorial Library and 26 percent of La Grange Park Library cardholders are children. "Our children's storytimes have very high enrollment and are usually filled to capacity," reported Uma Nori, Head of Youth Services at the Thomas Ford Library.  She said that due to the popularity of storytimes, the library added additional sessions this past year, attended by nearly 7,800 children and their parents. Nori added, "Many parents of older children venture upstairs to Adult Services while their children are engaged in our activities and are pleasantly surprised to find the wide assortment of magazines, DVDs and books that we offer."

La Grange Park Public Library Director Dixie Conkis noted that many of the programs and services offered for children in libraries today are different than what their parents remember from their childhoods, prompting them to see what else has changed in Adult Services.  "When parents see that there are e-readers and IPads available for their children to use, they get the idea that maybe they should see what's new for them as well," Conkis explained.

Almost every parent in the national study (97 percent) said it is important for libraries to offer programs and classes for children and teens. The Pew study also found that parent's feelings about the importance of libraries for their children are associated with higher levels of library use by the parents themselves. The presence of a child or a grandchild in a family is the primary reason cited by the 30 percent of parents who say their library use has increased in the past five years. Compared with other adults who do not have minor children, these parents are also more likely to have visited a library website in the past year, and use a mobile device to connect to a library website.

"Public libraries today satisfy curiosities and spark ideas for adults as much as for children," noted Thomas Ford's Director, Anne Kozak. "There is something for everyone within our walls and on our websites. The types of programs and services we now offer go far beyond books and reading," she said, adding that "parents naturally find their way to these exciting offerings when they come with their kids. We hope they share the news about our high tech services and great programs for adults with their neighbors, encouraging them to develop the library habit, too. You never outgrow public library services. They change as you do."