Why Caregivers Take Preschool Children to the Library: A Study of Caregiver Perceptions

This study investigates caregivers' perceptions of the benefits of library visits in relation to preschool children's learning and development. Reasons and benefits for attending libraries and storytimes, which were reported in previous research, are synthesized. Caregivers in Taiwan who visited public libraries in August 2019 (before COVID-19) with their newborn to 8-year-old children were asked one open-ended question in the context of a library user satisfaction survey. In total, 405 responses were gathered and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three main benefits were identified related to education, socialization, and enjoyment, in line with prior studies; however, participants expressed their reasons with depth and clarity. The findings show that caregivers have positive perceptions toward public libraries and value public libraries for supporting preschool children's learning and development.