Take a look at this chart and ask yourself these questions: first, why the long, red slide towards zero? Second, what do the bottom nine institutions all have in common, lately? Why might the military be seeing its popularity go up? What would the arrow for “public libraries” or “librarians” look like, if it was there? What are some things libraries could do to NOT join the “slide of the institutions”?
Related reading:
Gallup: Libraries More Popular Than Movie Theaters (2019)
How Americans Value Public Libraries (2013)
Rutgers Survey: Perception of Public Employees in Local Government
The Apolitical Librarian 