Poll Shows Arkansas Voters Reject SB536

A new poll conducted by the EveryLibrary Institute shows that Arkansas voters overwhelmingly oppose Senate Bill 536 (SB536), a bill now under consideration by the Arkansas State House that would dismantle the Arkansas State Library, eliminate its oversight board, and impose burdensome new mandates on local libraries without providing any additional funding. Voters across the state made it clear that they value their libraries, trust local decision-making, and want to keep politics out of public library governance.

The EveryLibrary Institute conducted a voter opinion survey on SB536, a proposed bill in the Arkansas state legislature that would eliminate the Arkansas State Library, dismantle its oversight board, and impose new requirements on public libraries without providing additional funding. This non-partisan survey of registered voters aimed to assess awareness of the bill, trust in library governance, and public sentiment toward its consequences. The findings strongly indicate that Arkansas voters oppose SB536 and favor preserving local control and community-centered decision-making for libraries.

Key Findings  

Awareness and General Sentiment  

• 66% of voters oppose SB536 after reading a plain-language summary of its provisions.  

Local vs. State Control  

• 79% of voters (strongly or somewhat) agree that decisions about books, library services, and operations should be made by local communities—not the state government.
• 74% trust local library boards or city/county governments over state agencies to make the right choices for their communities.

Rural and Small Library Impacts  

• 71% (strongly or somewhat) believe rural and small libraries will be unable to meet the bill’s new requirements without cutting services or possibly closing.

Government Overreach and Bureaucracy  

• 69% (strongly or somewhat) of respondents say shifting oversight to the Arkansas Department of Education will create unnecessary bureaucracy and confusion—not improve services.

Free from Political Interference  

• 83% of voters agree that public libraries should be free from political interference and censorship, including 67% who strongly agree.

Political Consequences  

• 62% of voters say they would be less likely to support their state representative in the next election if they vote in favor of SB536.

Gubernatorial Veto Support  

• 65% of voters oppose Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signing SB536 into law.

Arkansas voters overwhelmingly oppose the bill. At the heart of this opposition is a deep trust in local control. When asked who they trust more to make decisions about library hours, staffing, and programs, nearly three out of four voters (74%) said they trust local library boards or city and county governments. Only 16% preferred having those decisions made by state agencies in Little Rock. They express clear support for local control, strong concern about the bill’s negative impacts on small and rural libraries, and a desire to keep library governance free from political interference. These results suggest political risks for legislators who support SB536 and public support for a gubernatorial veto.

Download a PDF of the full report from EveryLibrary here: Arkansas Voter Poll about SB536