Navigating Children'S Use Of Screen Media: An Analysis Of Guidance Information Provided On Public Library Websites

Library websites are potentially important resources for parents and caregivers seeking guidance information regarding children's screen media use. This article analyzes a representative sample of 500 US public library websites to determine the discursive construction of children's use of screen media and the role of public libraries in providing guidance information. Descriptive analysis determined the presence of guidance information, qualitative thematic analysis examined the text identified as mediated information, and multimodal theory explored the communicative functions of the information. Forty-four sites (8.8%) contained guidance information, whereas 11 sites (2.2%) provided mediated information. Sites with mediated information position library staff as content curators as opposed to active media mentors. The information provided discursively constructs all media as internet-connected and risky while also positioning children as naive and unskilled. These connected constructions underestimate children's capacities, ignore beneficial and nuanced uses of screen media, and reinforce existing biases and hierarchies about "good parenting."