Largest Public Library Systems In The United States
Marcelene Vasconez
This page lists the top 25 public libraries in the United States by four specific statistical measures; namely, by size of population served, by the size of the library collection, by the number of times items in the collection were checked out, and number of visits to the library.
These public library statistics come from the Public Libraries in the United States Survey of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. The Public Libraries Survey (PLS) provides statistics on the status of public libraries in the United States. The data are collected from approximately 9,000 public libraries with approximately 17,000 individual public library outlets in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and outlying territories.
For Population of the Legal Service Area, the PLS Fiscal Year 2019 Data Element Definitions state: The number of people in the geographic area for which a public library has been established to offer services and from which (or on behalf of which) the library derives revenue, plus any areas served under contract for which the library is the primary service provider.
The largest public library in the United States and the second largest library in the world is the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., which is the de facto national library of the United States.[2] It holds more than 167 million items, including "more than 39 million books and other printed materials, 3.6 million recordings, 14.8 million photographs, 5.5 million maps, 8.1 million pieces of sheet music and 72 million manuscripts."[3] The largest research library in the United States is the Harvard Library in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The American Library Association has published data on the size of 25 largest public libraries in the United States. These data are from the Institute of Museum and Library Services's Public Libraries Survey (PLS) for fiscal year 2016. The largest public libraries in the U.S. are far larger than the median public library in the country; almost four-fifths of U.S. public libraries serve areas with populations of fewer than 25,000.[1]
The following are the 25 ARL members with the largest number of titles held, "including catalogued, locally digitized, and licensed" titles.[9] ARL follows the ANSI/NISO Z39.7-2004 definition of "title": "The designation of a separate bibliographic whole, whether issued in one or several volumes...Titles are defined according to the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules. A book or serial title may be distinguished from other titles by its unique International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)."[10] Multiple copies of the same work (for example, subscriptions to the same publication) are counted as a single title, but a serial title available in multiple formats (for example, print and online) are counted once for each available format.[11]
For lists of the largest public libraries only, see ALA Library Fact Sheet 13 - The Nation's Largest Public Libraries: Top 25 Rankings, which lists the top 25 public libraries in the United States by population served, by library collection, by circulation, and by library visits.
P+A= PLAmetrics (FY 2011) plus ARL Statistics 2009-10: Both the Boston Public Library and the New York Public Library appear on both reports, reporting their public library collection number in the former and their research library collection number in the latter. For accuracy in counting these institution's true holdings, these collection numbers have been added together.
The PLAmetrics public library report defines "holdings" on its worksheet (PDF): For the purpose of this data service, holdings will be defined as the number of cataloged items (number of items, not number of titles). Include print materials (including periodicals), electronic books, audio materials, and video materials acquired as part of the collection and cataloged, whether purchased, leased, licensed, or donated as gifts.
A library is defined as a collection of books, media, and materials that are not only for display purposes but are also accessible for public use. Libraries provide hard and soft copies of the materials and may be located in a physical or virtual space. The libraries also serve as areas where students can spend their time studying or as common areas for group discussions. There are several large libraries in the United States. The size of these libraries can be determined by many metrics, which include the number of volumes held by the library, the circulation of library materials, and the number of people visiting the library. The following article discusses the ten largest libraries in the United States (both public and academic).
The Boston Public Library, situated in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, is the second-largest public library in the United States, which holds 19,090,261 volumes. Initially founded in 1848, the public library forms a part of the municipal public library system and is open to all. All adult citizens of the Massachusetts Commonwealth are entitled to borrow materials along with taking advantage of other research privileges. The library's vast collections include rare books and manuscripts on varied topics, including arts, art history, and American history.
The ninth-largest library in the United States can be found at the University of Michigan, which holds 10,778,736 volumes. The idea for the library was conceived in the school's early part of life when the Act of 1837 provided a provision for schools that stated a portion of student tuition fees must go towards increasing the library. Asa Gray was credited for curating the library's assortment, including books that covered various subjects. There are 20 locations on campus which are broken up into graduate, undergraduate, science, health science, and many others. The Papyrology collection is known as one of the most prestigious collections of ancient manuscripts in the world. There are 7,000 items in inventory and 17,000 individual fragments which date back from 1000 BC to 1000 AD.
The Law Library of Congress is the world's largest law library, including one of the world's best rare law book collections and the most complete collection of foreign legal gazettes in the United States. The Law Library contains United States congressional publications dating back to the nation's founding.
Other notable D.C. libraries
Though the Library of Congress is open to the public, only some government officials and library employees may check out books and materials. However, as the de facto national library of the United States, its importance is clear. The symbolic art and architecture alone are worth a visit.
Other notable Ann Arbor libraries
As the third-largest research library in the U.S., University of Michigan Library is consistently ranked in the top 10 by the Association of Research Libraries. With librarians like Sheila Garcia, who was named a 2019 ALA Emerging Leader, it's no wonder.
Home to the third-largest public library in the United States, the city of Boston enjoys riches beyond most book lovers' dreams. Boston Central Library in Copley Square is headquarters to the 24 branches in the system, and the reading room in the McKim Building would turn anyone studious. The libraries host thousands of free programs every year, including author talks, concerts, daily children's events, and therapy dog storytimes.
The American Library Association is headquartered in Chicago, so you know this city likes to read. The CPL, which boasts 80 locations and some of the best public libraries in the U.S., includes the central library, Harold Washington Library Center. There, the ninth-floor Winter Garden is a beautifully unique feature, and the Maker Lab includes multiple 3D printers, CNC machines, and laser cutters. It's also the largest public library in the U.S. to eliminate fines for overdue items, forgiving all existing fees. Services include a free lecture series, the Words and Music Program, and free homework help.
Other notable Chicago libraries
The Newberry Library is an independent research library with materials spanning over six centuries, and the University of Chicago Library is the tenth-largest academic library in North America. Chicago is also the future grounds of the Barack Obama Presidential Center, which will include a branch of the CPL.
This networkis a vast library system with 41 locations, including impressive suburbanlibraries with art collections, outreach services for at-home patrons, andother innovative programs. Its largest location, the Minneapolis Central Library, features special historicalcollections, technology labs, gallery art, a piano room, and energy efficiencies,including a roof garden and substantial daylight. Partially supported by groupslike Friends of the Hennepin County Library, these branches are essential partsof their communities and the county as a whole.
WhenWal-Mart moved out, the library moved in to become the largest single-floorlibrary in the United States. This remarkable place wins awards for onlinepresence, architecture, and services and believes in "free access toinformation [that] connects a culturally diverse population with the globalcommunity." Though a small system, these libraries receive rave reviews, andevents like the South Texas Book Festival and regular programs bring thecommunity together through the power of books.
The Library of Congress in Washington DC is essentially both the national library of the U.S. and the country's oldest federal cultural institution. Though it consists of only three buildings, it is the largest library in the world for shelf space and number of volumes. While open to the public for on-site research and as a tourist attraction, as the research institution of Congress, only members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, and other specified government officials can check out books. The library is formally known as the "library of last resort" in the U.S., charged with making certain items available to other national libraries if all other means have been exhausted. The library's holdings are vast, including more than 32 million books, more than 61 million manuscripts, a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, one of only four perfect vellum copies of the Gutenberg Bible in the world, over one million newspapers from the last three centuries, over five million maps, six million pieces of sheet music, and more than 14 millions photos and prints.