A vast majority of parents--94 percent--agree that libraries are important for kids; 79 percent say libraries are "very important," according to a survey of 2,252 Americans ages 16 and above conducted in the fall of 2012 by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. 

Reasons Parents Believe Libraries Are Important for Children, According to the Study

• Nearly all parents (97 percent) support libraries for offering programs and classes for children.
• 84 percent of parents say libraries feel libraries foster a love of reading.
• 81 percent of parents believe libraries connect children to resources not available at home.
• 71 percent of parents cite the safety of libraries as another factor in why they think libraries are important.

See the full findings from the Pew Internet and American Life Project.