Public library systems in Mississippi
The 53 profiled public library systems in Mississippi served 2.9 million residents in FY 2024 and logged 1.47 visits and 1.50 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 50th and 51st among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $17.08 per resident (51st nationally). Local government supplied 79% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 13%.
The largest system is First Regional Library, serving 321,878 residents; 7 systems serve 100,000 or more. At the end of the year, 40% of the state's profiled systems charged no overdue fines on print items. The most common legal form is the county library (20 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one Mississippi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Regional Library | Hernando | 321,878 | 1.81 | 2.49 | $16.89 |
| Central Mississippi Regional Library | Brandon | 227,738 | 1.70 | 1.72 | $10.53 |
| Jackson/Hinds Library System | Jackson | 214,870 | 0.93 | 0.49 | $18.61 |
| Harrison County Library System | Gulfport | 210,612 | 1.30 | 1.81 | $15.78 |
| Jackson-George Regional Library System | Pascagoula | 172,008 | 1.82 | 2.10 | $26.82 |
| Madison County Library System | Canton | 112,511 | 1.96 | 2.07 | $21.99 |
| Lee-Itawamba Library System | Tupelo | 106,892 | 1.25 | 1.47 | $15.03 |
| Northeast Regional Library | Corinth | 99,064 | 0.84 | 1.47 | $8.87 |
| Mid-Mississippi Regional Library | Kosciusko | 81,410 | 2.28 | 2.68 | $26.73 |
| The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal & Forrest C | Hattiesburg | 78,208 | 1.38 | 3.08 | $30.00 |
| Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library | Meridian | 70,527 | 0.60 | 0.42 | $17.01 |
| Laurel-Jones County Library System, Inc. | Laurel | 66,250 | 1.12 | 1.11 | $16.52 |
| Lamar County Library System | Purvis | 66,217 | 1.30 | 1.92 | $14.70 |
| Pike-Amite-Walthall Library System | McComb | 65,699 | 1.18 | 0.75 | $13.07 |
| Tombigbee Regional Library | West Point | 61,803 | 0.67 | 0.93 | $7.48 |
| Dixie Regional Library System | Pontotoc | 61,086 | 0.85 | 0.77 | $11.03 |
| Pearl River County Library System | Picayune | 57,978 | 1.07 | 1.02 | $16.64 |
| Columbus-Lowndes Public Library | Columbus | 57,283 | 1.21 | 0.96 | $13.92 |
| Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library | Brookhaven | 54,053 | 1.56 | 1.42 | $15.44 |
| Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library System | Starkville | 51,203 | 1.61 | 1.77 | $14.92 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 51 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- Hancock County Library · 6.56
- Union County Library System · 2.80
- Waynesboro-Wayne County Library System · 2.66
- Neshoba County Public Library · 2.62
- Mid-Mississippi Regional Library · 2.28
Checkouts per resident
- The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal & Forrest C · 3.08
- Mid-Mississippi Regional Library · 2.68
- First Regional Library · 2.49
- Hancock County Library · 2.26
- Union County Library System · 2.19
Spending per resident
- Hancock County Library · $48.37
- The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal & Forrest C · $30.00
- Sunflower County Library · $27.06
- Jackson-George Regional Library System · $26.82
- Mid-Mississippi Regional Library · $26.73
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $54 million across the 53 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other
More system profiles
- Hancock County Library · Bay Saint Louis