Empowering Communities: Public Libraries, Inclusive Civic Engagement and Artificial Intelligence

Zong-Xian Huang J. Ramon Gil-Garcia Mila Gascó-Hernández Femi Adelakun Brooks Rainwater

Abstract

This survey is part of the Center for Technology in Government's (CTG UAlbany) threeyear research project, "Empowering Communities: Public Libraries, Inclusive Civic Engagement, and Artificial Intelligence," implemented in partnership with the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (grant no. LG-254889-OLS-23). This survey aims to better understand how adult residents of the United States view the role of public libraries in fostering civic engagement in artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, as well as their knowledge, attitudes, and usage patterns related to AI technologies. This report provides a descriptive analysis of the survey responses. The survey was conducted in two phases. In the first stage, a pilot survey was performed from January 17 to 18, 2026, to ensure the clarity of the questions and the correctness of the survey logic. In the second stage, the formal survey was launched on January 20, 2026, and reached the targeted sample and quotas on January 28, 2026. We established several quota criteria with the assistance of Qualtrics to ensure that the demographic information was representative of the general population in the United States, including quotas for gender, age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, and household income. A total of 2,010 complete responses were initially collected. After removing duplicate submissions, this report includes 2,000 complete responses in the final analysis. The survey results can support policymakers, library administrators, and researchers in their ongoing efforts to build inclusive, participatory, and AI-ready communities. Additionally, the findings offer a deeper understanding of the public's perceptions of AI, the practical challenges they encounter, their overall willingness to participate in communitydriven AI initiatives, and the perceived benefits and risks of integrating AI into community spaces. These results may also be of interest to researchers and practitioners involved in similar initiatives.

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