Public library systems in Virginia
The 93 profiled public library systems in Virginia served 8.6 million residents in FY 2024 and logged 2.75 visits and 4.75 physical checkouts per resident, which ranks 32nd and 25th among the 50 states and DC. Operating spending came to $42.93 per resident (31st nationally). Local government supplied 93% of operating revenue, against 85% for all profiled systems nationwide, and the state government 6%.
The largest system is Fairfax County Public Library, serving 1,169,440 residents; 19 systems serve 100,000 or more. At the end of the year, 58% of the state's profiled systems charged no overdue fines on print items. The most common legal form is the county library (41 systems).
Visits per resident, system by system
Each dot is one Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County Public Library | Fairfax | 1,169,440 | 2.75 | 7.09 | $40.63 |
| Prince William Public Libraries | Prince William | 525,441 | 1.66 | 3.32 | $44.93 |
| Virginia Beach Public Library | Virginia Beach | 458,028 | 1.99 | 3.20 | $46.01 |
| Loudoun County Public Library | Leesburg | 425,204 | 4.03 | 8.66 | $57.12 |
| Chesterfield County Public Library | Chesterfield | 369,943 | 2.40 | 5.85 | $38.24 |
| Central Rappahannock Regional Library | Fredericksburg | 347,033 | 3.20 | 6.58 | $38.94 |
| Henrico County Public Library | Henrico | 336,226 | 4.22 | 7.36 | $67.13 |
| Chesapeake Public Library | Chesapeake | 250,256 | 2.64 | 3.77 | $49.47 |
| Jefferson-Madison Regional Library | Charlottesville | 239,717 | 3.53 | 5.30 | $42.23 |
| Norfolk Public Library | Norfolk | 238,102 | 2.09 | 1.63 | $59.84 |
| Arlington Dept. of Libraries | Arlington | 237,107 | 4.69 | 9.18 | $76.59 |
| Richmond Public Library | Richmond | 226,623 | 2.35 | 2.66 | $39.05 |
| Newport News Public Library System | Newport News | 185,082 | 1.71 | 2.03 | $33.07 |
| Massanutten Regional Library | Harrisonburg | 162,560 | 1.46 | 4.78 | $17.74 |
| Pamunkey Regional Library | Hanover | 160,674 | 2.87 | 3.35 | $39.98 |
| Alexandria Library | Alexandria | 158,675 | 3.31 | 5.17 | $60.02 |
| Hampton Public Library | Hampton | 136,581 | 0.66 | 0.95 | $27.16 |
| Handley Regional Library | Winchester | 135,890 | 2.69 | 4.37 | $26.06 |
| Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library | Christiansburg | 117,285 | 2.91 | 3.55 | $27.32 |
| Roanoke City Public Library | Roanoke | 99,883 | 4.36 | 2.53 | $56.73 |
Highest rates among systems serving 5,000 or more
Of the state's profiled systems, 88 serve at least 5,000 residents.
Visits per resident
- Mary Riley Styles Public Library · 11.49
- Bristol Public Library · 11.47
- Fluvanna County Public Library · 8.63
- Colonial Heights Public Library · 7.60
- Staunton Public Library · 6.04
Checkouts per resident
- Mary Riley Styles Public Library · 21.20
- Bristol Public Library · 11.60
- Arlington Dept. of Libraries · 9.18
- Loudoun County Public Library · 8.66
- Samuels Public Library · 8.45
Spending per resident
- Mary Riley Styles Public Library · $163.25
- Bristol Public Library · $130.68
- Poquoson Public Library · $89.15
- Williamsburg Regional Library · $84.72
- Arlington Dept. of Libraries · $76.59
Revenue mix
Combined operating revenue of $376 million across the 93 systems that reported every revenue source.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other