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Libraries in the United States are used for all sorts of reasons - education, information, self-improvement, and recreation. While libraries were originally established as book-lending centers, their role has changed and expanded over the years. There are over nine thousand public libraries and more than 125,000 librarians across the United States, all of which offer a wide variety of resources and services to the communities they serve.
Library funding
Public libraries receive more than 80 percent of their funding from local government, but also from grant programs, and donations. Per capita operating expenditure has experienced a general increase over time, rising more than 30 percent between 1995 and 2019, despite peaking in 2009. There are, however, spending discrepancies across states. New York, for example, spends more than four times that of the state of Mississippi per head. New York is additionally home to the most libraries of any state, as well as the New York Public Library, one of the largest libraries in the country by population served.
Library use
With the number of in-person visits declining since 2010, libraries are taking on new roles and adapting to new habits of readers. Libraries across the country are increasingly offering diverse kinds of programs for all ages, such as story time for toddlers, afterschool programs for teens, and computer classes for adults and seniors. While the circulation of library items is down, the popularity of library programs has been increasing, with children's programs particularly popular. Additionally, changes in technology have had an impact on the way people consume materials. Since 2010, the number of print materials have been decreasing, while libraries have been expanding their electronic book collections significantly, with per capita e-book collections growing by more than 3,000 percent between 2010 and 2019.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Veera Korhonen Research expert covering United States data for society 
Key insights
- Number of public libraries in the U.S.
- 9,000
Detailed statistics
U.S. number of public libraries FY 1992-2019
- State with the most public libraries
- New York
Detailed statistics
U.S. number of public libraries FY 2019, by state
- Number of librarians in the U.S.
- 133,760
Detailed statistics
U.S. number of employed librarians 2015-2023
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Overview
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- Premium Statistic U.S. number of public libraries FY 1992-2019
- Premium Statistic U.S. number of public libraries FY 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. largest public libraries FY 2019, by size of population served
Overview
- Premium Statistic U.S. number of public libraries FY 1992-2019
U.S. number of public libraries FY 1992-2019
Number of public libraries in the United States from the fiscal year of 1992 to the fiscal year of 2019
- Premium Statistic U.S. number of public libraries FY 2019, by state
U.S. number of public libraries FY 2019, by state
Number of public libraries in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. largest public libraries FY 2019, by size of population served
U.S. largest public libraries FY 2019, by size of population served
Leading public libraries in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by size of population served (in millions)
Funding and finances
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- Premium Statistic U.S. per capita operating expenditures of public libraries FY 1995-2019, by type
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library per capita operating expenditures FY 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library per capita operating revenue FY 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. public libraries operating revenue distribution FY 1995-2019
- Premium Statistic Revenue of U.S. libraries and archives 2007-2021
- Premium Statistic U.S. Grants to States program funding allocation FY 2023, by state
- Premium Statistic Expenses of U.S. libraries and archives 2007-2021
- Premium Statistic U.S. budget for the Office of Library Services FY 2002-2024
- Premium Statistic Industry revenue of “libraries and archives“ in the U.S. 2012-2024
Funding and finances
- Premium Statistic U.S. per capita operating expenditures of public libraries FY 1995-2019, by type
U.S. per capita operating expenditures of public libraries FY 1995-2019, by type
Per capita operating expenditures of public libraries in the United States for fiscal years 1995 to 2019, by expenditure type (in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library per capita operating expenditures FY 2019, by state
U.S. public library per capita operating expenditures FY 2019, by state
Per capita operating expenditures of public libraries in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by state (in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library per capita operating revenue FY 2019, by state
U.S. public library per capita operating revenue FY 2019, by state
Per capita operating revenue of public libraries in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by state (in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic U.S. public libraries operating revenue distribution FY 1995-2019
U.S. public libraries operating revenue distribution FY 1995-2019
Distribution of public libraries operating revenue among sources in the United States from the fiscal year of 1995 to the fiscal year of 2019, as a share of total revenue
- Premium Statistic Revenue of U.S. libraries and archives 2007-2021
Revenue of U.S. libraries and archives 2007-2021
Estimated revenue generated by libraries and archives in the United States from 2007 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic U.S. Grants to States program funding allocation FY 2023, by state
U.S. Grants to States program funding allocation FY 2023, by state
Grants to States library funding program allocation in the United States for the fiscal year of 2023, by state (in million U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Expenses of U.S. libraries and archives 2007-2021
Expenses of U.S. libraries and archives 2007-2021
Estimated expenses of U.S. libraries and archives from 2007 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic U.S. budget for the Office of Library Services FY 2002-2024
U.S. budget for the Office of Library Services FY 2002-2024
Total budget for the Office of Library Services in the United States from FY 2002 to FY 2024 (in million U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Industry revenue of “libraries and archives“ in the U.S. 2012-2024
Industry revenue of “libraries and archives“ in the U.S. 2012-2024
Industry revenue of “libraries and archives“ in the U.S. from 2012 to 2024 (in million U.S. Dollars)
Employment
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- Premium Statistic U.S. number of employed librarians 2015-2023
- Premium Statistic U.S. number of full-time staff in public libraries FY 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic States with the highest number of librarians in the U.S. 2023
- Premium Statistic U.S. median annual salary for librarians 2015-2023
- Premium Statistic States with the highest wages for librarians in the U.S. 2023
- Premium Statistic Librarian wages in the most common librarian industries in the U.S. 2023
- Premium Statistic Industries employing the highest number of librarians in the U.S. 2023
Employment
- Premium Statistic U.S. number of employed librarians 2015-2023
U.S. number of employed librarians 2015-2023
Number of employed librarians in the United States from 2015 to 2023
- Premium Statistic U.S. number of full-time staff in public libraries FY 2019, by state
U.S. number of full-time staff in public libraries FY 2019, by state
Number of full-time-equivalent staff in public libraries in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic States with the highest number of librarians in the U.S. 2023
States with the highest number of librarians in the U.S. 2023
States with the highest level of employment of librarians in the United States as of May 2023
- Premium Statistic U.S. median annual salary for librarians 2015-2023
U.S. median annual salary for librarians 2015-2023
Annual median salary for librarians and media collections specialists in the United States from 2015 to 2023 (in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic States with the highest wages for librarians in the U.S. 2023
States with the highest wages for librarians in the U.S. 2023
States with the highest annual wages for librarians in the United States as of May 2023 (in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Librarian wages in the most common librarian industries in the U.S. 2023
Librarian wages in the most common librarian industries in the U.S. 2023
Annual wages of librarians in industries with the highest librarian employment in the United States as of May 2023 (in U.S. dollars)
- Premium Statistic Industries employing the highest number of librarians in the U.S. 2023
Industries employing the highest number of librarians in the U.S. 2023
Leading industries in the employment of librarians in the United States as of May 2023
Library use
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- Premium Statistic U.S. public library use FY 1995-2019, by type
- Premium Statistic U.S. public libraries average weekly service hours FY 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library print holdings FY 1995-2019
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library nonprint holdings FY 1995-2019, by type
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library program attendance FY 1995-2019, by program type
- Premium Statistic U.S. children and young adult programs in public libraries FY 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. public-access internet computers in public libraries FY 2019, by state
Library use
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library use FY 1995-2019, by type
U.S. public library use FY 1995-2019, by type
Use of public libraries in the United States from the fiscal year of 1995 to the fiscal year of 2019, by type (per 100 people)
- Premium Statistic U.S. public libraries average weekly service hours FY 2019, by state
U.S. public libraries average weekly service hours FY 2019, by state
Public libraries average weekly service hours per outlet in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by state
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library print holdings FY 1995-2019
U.S. public library print holdings FY 1995-2019
Number of print public library holdings in the United States from the fiscal year of 1995 to the fiscal year of 2019 (in millions)
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library nonprint holdings FY 1995-2019, by type
U.S. public library nonprint holdings FY 1995-2019, by type
Nonprint public library holdings in the United States from the fiscal year of 1995 to the fiscal year of 2019, by type (per 100 people)
- Premium Statistic U.S. public library program attendance FY 1995-2019, by program type
U.S. public library program attendance FY 1995-2019, by program type
Public library program attendance in the United States for the fiscal year of 1995 to the fiscal year of 2019, by program type (per 100 people)
- Premium Statistic U.S. children and young adult programs in public libraries FY 2019, by state
U.S. children and young adult programs in public libraries FY 2019, by state
Number of children and young adult programs at public libraries in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by state (per 1,000 people)
- Premium Statistic U.S. public-access internet computers in public libraries FY 2019, by state
U.S. public-access internet computers in public libraries FY 2019, by state
Number of public-access internet computers and user sessions at public libraries in the United States in the fiscal year of 2019, by state
