Public library systems in Iowa
The 475 profiled public library systems in Iowa served 3.1 million residents in FY 2024 and logged 4.04 visits and 5.07 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 7th and 23rd among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $50.69 per resident (23rd nationally). Local government supplied 93% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 1%.
The largest system is Des Moines Public Library, serving 221,659 residents; 3 systems serve 100,000 or more. At the end of the year, 81% of the state's profiled systems charged no overdue fines on print items. The most common legal form is the municipal library (470 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one Iowa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines Public Library | Des Moines | 221,659 | 4.01 | 3.83 | $51.54 |
| Cedar Rapids Public Library | Cedar Rapids | 145,309 | 3.05 | 3.10 | $56.96 |
| Davenport Public Library | Davenport | 101,724 | 2.95 | 2.93 | $59.22 |
| Iowa City Public Library | Iowa City | 89,912 | 6.04 | 9.61 | $79.72 |
| Sioux City Public Library | Sioux City | 85,797 | 2.99 | 2.33 | $41.02 |
| Council Bluffs Public Library | Council Bluffs | 79,080 | 2.21 | 2.77 | $42.57 |
| Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library | Ankeny | 76,078 | 4.91 | 4.88 | $35.02 |
| Ames Public Library | Ames | 73,008 | 4.55 | 10.09 | $74.16 |
| West Des Moines Public Library | West Des Moines | 69,235 | 2.79 | 6.06 | $60.89 |
| Waterloo Public Library | Waterloo | 68,052 | 2.01 | 2.96 | $41.10 |
| Carnegie-Stout Public Library | Dubuque | 60,309 | 3.53 | 5.80 | $66.89 |
| Marion Public Library | Marion | 48,866 | 3.67 | 8.01 | $52.27 |
| Cedar Falls Public Library | Cedar Falls | 46,003 | 3.87 | 7.16 | $52.92 |
| Urbandale Public Library | Urbandale | 45,944 | 4.25 | 9.04 | $60.72 |
| Bettendorf Public Library Information Center | Bettendorf | 39,102 | 5.44 | 9.20 | $91.93 |
| Burlington Public Library | Burlington | 34,141 | 3.45 | 7.97 | $51.13 |
| Marshalltown Public Library | Marshalltown | 33,566 | 3.29 | 5.98 | $37.91 |
| Scott County Library System | Eldridge | 32,747 | 2.47 | 3.45 | $41.27 |
| Musser Public Library | Muscatine | 32,451 | 3.40 | 3.02 | $34.18 |
| Dubuque County Library | Asbury | 32,079 | 2.32 | 3.18 | $32.41 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 112 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- Coralville Public Library · 12.87
- James Kennedy Public Library · 11.92
- Sioux Center Public Library · 9.37
- Solon Public Library · 8.60
- Robert W. Barlow Memorial Library · 8.44
Checkouts per resident
- Orange City Public Library · 18.61
- James Kennedy Public Library · 16.24
- Sioux Center Public Library · 15.27
- Hiawatha Public Library · 13.08
- Ames Public Library · 10.09
Spending per resident
- James Kennedy Public Library · $104.70
- Coralville Public Library · $98.27
- Bettendorf Public Library Information Center · $91.93
- Perry Public Library · $87.52
- Iowa City Public Library · $79.72
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $163 million across the 475 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other