Public library systems in Delaware
The 21 profiled public library systems in Delaware served 989,948 residents in FY 2024 and logged 2.83 visits and 3.94 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 30th and 32nd among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $37.99 per resident (37th nationally). Local government supplied 74% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 16%.
The largest system is Department of Community Services, serving 449,061 residents. At the end of the year, 5% of the state's profiled systems charged no overdue fines on print items. The most common legal form is the library district (11 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one Delaware system, grouped by the size of the population it serves; darker dots have their own profile page. The gold tick marks the national median for that size class.
The 20 largest systems
| System | City | Residents | Visits per resident | Checkouts per resident | Spending per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Community Services | New Castle | 449,061 | 2.83 | 4.97 | $45.96 |
| Sussex County Dept. of Libraries | Georgetown | 71,278 | 3.23 | 4.69 | $41.88 |
| Dover Public Library | Dover | 62,955 | 2.85 | 4.10 | $35.53 |
| Kent County Public Library | Dover | 61,418 | 0.98 | 1.94 | $16.13 |
| Wilmington Institute Library | Wilmington | 54,227 | 3.53 | 1.37 | $53.35 |
| Smyrna Public Library | Smyrna | 39,824 | 0.91 | 1.61 | $11.82 |
| Milford Public Library | Milford | 27,683 | 3.86 | 3.74 | $27.95 |
| Lewes Public Library | Lewes | 26,989 | 6.43 | 8.62 | $37.47 |
| Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library | Odessa | 26,290 | 0.98 | 1.49 | $18.32 |
| New Castle Public Library | New Castle | 24,805 | 2.33 | 1.56 | $34.72 |
| Seaford District Library | Seaford | 23,024 | 2.05 | 1.65 | $20.86 |
| Millsboro Public Library | Millsboro | 21,315 | 1.72 | 2.85 | $15.54 |
| Georgetown Public Library | Georgetown | 16,459 | 4.16 | 2.23 | $30.16 |
| Laurel Public Library | Laurel | 15,914 | 2.66 | 3.64 | $34.64 |
| Rehoboth Beach Public Library | Rehoboth Beach | 14,372 | 5.60 | 3.21 | $32.84 |
| Harrington Public Library | Harrington | 12,446 | 1.07 | 1.64 | $14.84 |
| Delaware City Public Library | Delaware City | 11,083 | 2.18 | 1.31 | $26.29 |
| Bridgeville Public Library | Bridgeville | 9,478 | 7.19 | 4.22 | $44.25 |
| Frankford Public Library | Frankford | 8,810 | 2.79 | 1.96 | $30.70 |
| Delmar Public Library | Delmar | 6,936 | 4.45 | 5.20 | $55.51 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 21 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- Bridgeville Public Library · 7.19
- Lewes Public Library · 6.43
- Selbyville Public Library · 5.72
- Rehoboth Beach Public Library · 5.60
- Delmar Public Library · 4.45
Checkouts per resident
- Lewes Public Library · 8.62
- Selbyville Public Library · 6.14
- Delmar Public Library · 5.20
- Department of Community Services · 4.97
- Sussex County Dept. of Libraries · 4.69
Spending per resident
- Selbyville Public Library · $68.89
- Delmar Public Library · $55.51
- Wilmington Institute Library · $53.35
- Department of Community Services · $45.96
- Bridgeville Public Library · $44.25
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $35.7 million across the 21 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other