Public library systems in Missouri
The 149 profiled public library systems in Missouri served 5.7 million residents in FY 2024 and logged 3.09 visits and 5.62 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 25th and 15th among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $58.00 per resident (19th nationally). Local government supplied 88% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 2%.
The largest system is Saint Louis County Library, serving 863,407 residents; 10 systems serve 100,000 or more. At the end of the year, 55% of the state's profiled systems charged no overdue fines on print items. The most common legal form is the library district (138 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one Missouri 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis County Library | St. Louis | 863,407 | 4.08 | 8.33 | $70.90 |
| Mid-Continent Public Library | Independence | 840,292 | 2.96 | 5.99 | $82.29 |
| Saint Charles City-County Library District | St. Peters | 405,262 | 3.02 | 11.03 | $50.18 |
| City of St. Louis Municipal Library District | St. Louis | 301,578 | 3.48 | 5.01 | $104.81 |
| Springfield-Greene County Library District | Springfield | 298,915 | 3.99 | 6.77 | $51.49 |
| Kansas City Public Library | Kansas City | 232,498 | 5.68 | 3.90 | $130.95 |
| Daniel Boone Regional Library | Columbia | 223,840 | 2.16 | 7.56 | $54.65 |
| Scenic Regional Library | Union | 147,730 | 2.49 | 3.11 | $28.64 |
| Jefferson County Library District | High Ridge | 135,409 | 1.73 | 2.61 | $33.88 |
| Cass County Public Library | Harrisonville | 107,824 | 2.04 | 3.97 | $35.45 |
| Missouri River Regional Library | Jefferson City | 90,553 | 2.08 | 5.17 | $35.90 |
| Christian County Library | Nixa | 88,842 | 1.82 | 2.92 | $31.95 |
| Riverside Regional Library | Jackson | 85,846 | 1.73 | 1.77 | $16.72 |
| Trails Regional Library | Warrensburg | 82,736 | 1.01 | 2.26 | $36.71 |
| Barry-Lawrence Regional Library | Monett | 72,535 | 2.64 | 3.38 | $35.07 |
| Saint Joseph Public Library | St. Joseph | 61,254 | 1.95 | 2.67 | $61.52 |
| Boonslick Regional Library | Sedalia | 59,455 | 1.77 | 4.80 | $27.10 |
| Neosho/Newton County Library | Neosho | 54,445 | 1.66 | 3.21 | $19.27 |
| Pulaski County Library | Waynesville | 52,759 | 1.01 | 0.88 | $15.50 |
| Joplin Public Library | Joplin | 48,784 | 4.44 | 6.70 | $51.92 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 96 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- Richmond Heights Memorial Library · 16.63
- Washington Public Library · 13.27
- Macon Public Library · 9.72
- West Plains Public Library · 9.14
- Rolla Public Library · 7.69
Checkouts per resident
- Kirkwood Public Library · 16.27
- Washington Public Library · 13.90
- Brentwood Public Library · 13.55
- Saint Charles City-County Library District · 11.03
- Richmond Heights Memorial Library · 10.26
Spending per resident
- Kansas City Public Library · $130.95
- University City Public Library · $111.28
- City of St. Louis Municipal Library District · $104.81
- Kirkwood Public Library · $93.52
- Richmond Heights Memorial Library · $93.00
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $315 million across the 148 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other