Public library systems in South Carolina
The 41 profiled public library systems in South Carolina served 5.1 million residents in FY 2024 and logged 2.00 visits and 3.24 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 42nd and 38th among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $38.24 per resident (36th nationally). Local government supplied 90% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 6%.
The largest system is Greenville County Library System, serving 525,534 residents; 15 systems serve 100,000 or more. At the end of the year, 49% of the state's profiled systems charged no overdue fines on print items. The most common legal form is the county library (38 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one South 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County Library System | Greenville | 525,534 | 2.47 | 5.56 | $41.58 |
| Richland County Public Library | Columbia | 416,147 | 2.83 | 5.42 | $81.95 |
| Charleston County Public Library System | Charleston | 408,235 | 3.26 | 4.11 | $90.35 |
| Horry County Memorial Library | Conway | 351,029 | 1.22 | 2.46 | $18.39 |
| Spartanburg County Public Library System | Spartanburg | 327,997 | 2.88 | 4.54 | $52.71 |
| Lexington County Public Library System | Lexington | 293,991 | 2.14 | 4.12 | $33.22 |
| York County Library System | Rock Hill | 282,090 | 1.51 | 3.52 | $32.11 |
| Berkeley County Library System | Moncks Corner | 229,861 | 1.48 | 2.77 | $19.45 |
| Abbe Regional Library System | Aiken | 228,365 | 0.83 | 1.33 | $6.23 |
| Anderson County Library | Anderson | 203,718 | 1.64 | 2.32 | $33.34 |
| Beaufort County Library | Beaufort | 187,117 | 1.99 | 3.33 | $29.46 |
| Dorchester County Library System | St. George | 161,540 | 2.16 | 3.53 | $29.98 |
| Florence County Library System | Florence | 137,059 | 1.48 | 1.20 | $36.28 |
| Pickens County Library System | Easley | 131,404 | 2.42 | 2.55 | $27.86 |
| Sumter County Public Library System | Sumter | 105,556 | 0.91 | 1.03 | $13.55 |
| Lancaster County Library System | Lancaster | 96,016 | 1.72 | 2.18 | $13.41 |
| Orangeburg County Library Commission | Orangeburg | 84,223 | 1.78 | 1.36 | $27.13 |
| Oconee County Public Library | Walhalla | 78,607 | 1.88 | 3.31 | $22.34 |
| Greenwood County Library System | Greenwood | 69,351 | 2.17 | 1.22 | $28.53 |
| Laurens County Library System | Laurens | 67,539 | 1.00 | 2.52 | $20.88 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 41 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- Charleston County Public Library System · 3.26
- Fairfield County Library · 2.98
- McCormick County Library System · 2.97
- Dillon County Library System · 2.92
- Spartanburg County Public Library System · 2.88
Checkouts per resident
Spending per resident
- Charleston County Public Library System · $90.35
- Richland County Public Library · $81.95
- Calhoun County Library System · $59.99
- Spartanburg County Public Library System · $52.71
- Chapin Memorial Library · $44.43
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $211 million across the 41 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other