Public library systems in North Carolina
The 84 profiled public library systems in North Carolina served 10.8 million residents in FY 2024 and logged 1.97 visits and 3.54 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 43rd and 36th among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $27.95 per resident (45th nationally). Local government supplied 88% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 6%.
The largest system is Wake County Public Libraries, serving 1,194,900 residents; 31 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 county library (50 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County Public Libraries | Raleigh | 1,194,900 | 2.55 | 7.46 | $29.66 |
| Charlotte Mecklenburg Library | Charlotte | 1,162,168 | 1.95 | 4.05 | $47.85 |
| Greensboro Public Library | Greensboro | 435,509 | 2.50 | 2.53 | $25.49 |
| Forsyth County Public Library | Winston-Salem | 392,839 | 3.18 | 2.51 | $25.21 |
| Cumberland County Public Library | Fayetteville | 337,970 | 1.84 | 2.99 | $33.32 |
| Durham County Library | Durham | 334,350 | 1.50 | 6.70 | $41.93 |
| Buncombe County Public Libraries | Asheville | 277,047 | 2.67 | 4.43 | $28.99 |
| Union County Public Library | Monroe | 257,682 | 1.41 | 3.19 | $25.20 |
| Cabarrus County Public Library | Concord | 242,880 | 1.34 | 3.31 | $21.10 |
| Gaston County Public Library | Gastonia | 239,636 | 1.78 | 2.71 | $25.01 |
| New Hanover County Public Library | Wilmington | 239,514 | 2.00 | 3.99 | $24.35 |
| Sandhill Regional Library System | Rockingham | 216,654 | 0.90 | 1.60 | $16.10 |
| Onslow County Public Library | Jacksonville | 213,447 | 1.32 | 2.07 | $12.68 |
| Public Library of Johnston County & Smithfield | Smithfield | 210,898 | 0.61 | 1.08 | $5.89 |
| Alamance County Public Libraries | Burlington | 176,429 | 1.70 | 2.06 | $20.50 |
| Sheppard Memorial Library | Greenville | 170,353 | 1.43 | 2.14 | $15.21 |
| Davidson County Public Library System | Lexington | 169,229 | 1.83 | 1.96 | $28.12 |
| Northwestern Regional Library | Elkin | 166,502 | 1.57 | 2.64 | $17.21 |
| Brunswick County Library | Southport | 160,440 | 2.53 | 1.83 | $12.39 |
| Rowan Public Library | Salisbury | 152,450 | 1.79 | 2.34 | $24.56 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 83 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- Chapel Hill Public Library · 6.19
- Harold D. Cooley Library · 5.86
- George H. and Laura E. Brown Public Library · 5.71
- Transylvania County Library · 4.83
- Madison County Public Library · 4.57
Checkouts per resident
- Chapel Hill Public Library · 18.69
- Transylvania County Library · 8.77
- Southern Pines Public Library · 7.80
- Wake County Public Libraries · 7.46
- Mooresville Public Library · 7.44
Spending per resident
- Jacob Mauney Memorial Library · $74.84
- George H. and Laura E. Brown Public Library · $74.83
- Chapel Hill Public Library · $63.33
- Mooresville Public Library · $62.66
- Southern Pines Public Library · $60.59
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $323 million across the 84 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other
More system profiles
- Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Library · Burnsville