Across the United States, trust in public institutions has declined steadily over recent decades. Confidence in schools, media, and politics has eroded since the late 20th century, with national institutions often ranking lowest in public trust.
While organizations such as Gallup and Pew have long tracked these trends, libraries have rarely been included in national surveys of institutional confidence. In 2025, the Nebraska Rural Poll - the longest-running survey of rural life in the United States - addressed this gap by adding public libraries to its instrument. In its 2025 iteration, 943 respondents reported the highest levels of confidence in public libraries among all institutions measured. At the same time, demographic variation in responses offers important insights for librarians planning for the future.
This presentation, featuring members of the Nebraska Rural Poll team and researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will highlight key findings from the 2025 data alongside longitudinal insights drawn from nearly three decades of survey work. Attendees will gain an understanding of the Poll’s history, methodological approach, and ways to contribute to the design of future surveys, and consider strategies for how librarians and community stakeholders can use findings to improve connections with their communities.
