Perception of Public Libraries

Albertans Trust Their Libraries

In January 2026, the Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries commissioned research by Alberta pollster Janet Brown to better understand public views on library decision-making and the principle of intellectual freedom.

This research, opens a new window confirms that public libraries are among Alberta’s most trusted and widely used public institutions. Key findings include:

 
70% of Albertans use public libraries at least a few times per year, with 47% reporting use weekly or monthly 
 
82% of Albertan trust their local public library to make appropriate decisions about what materials are available 
 
69% of Albertans believe decisions about materials should be made locally by trained library staff, guided by policies set by local library boards, rather than through province-wide rules