librarysystems

Charleston County Public Library System

Charleston, South CarolinaCounty libraryMid-size cityFiscal year July 2023 to June 2024

Charleston County Public Library System is a county public library system based in Charleston, South Carolina, serving a legal service area of 408,235 residents through 18 library buildings and one bookmobile. Among the 41 profiled systems in South Carolina, it leads on total visits, operating spending, number of library buildings and public computers.

Among the 122 profiled systems serving 250,000 to 499,999 residents, it ranks first for public computers per resident. Against the median system of its size class, it records 2.7 times the paid staff per resident and 2.5 times the operating spending per resident.

Compare with similar-size systemsSystems serving 250,000 to 499,999

Charleston County against the 122 systems of its size class

size-class median (50th percentile) · spine height = percentile within the class3.26Visitsper resident77th percentile4.11Checkoutsper resident56th percentile$90.35Spendingper resident89th percentile1.73Print volumesper resident83rd percentile391Program visitsper 1,000 people86th percentile23.6Computersper 10,000 people99th percentile46.8Open hoursper outlet a week50th percentile8.5Staff (FTE)per 10,000 people95th percentile
Gold tick: size-class medianVisits per resident3.2677th pct.Checkouts per resident4.1156th pct.Spending per resident$90.3589th pct.Print volumes per resident1.7383rd pct.Program visits per 1,000 people39186th pct.Computers per 10,000 people23.699th pct.Open hours per outlet a week46.850th pct.Staff (FTE) per 10,000 people8.595th pct.

How the measures and percentiles are calculated

Who comes to Charleston County programs

Programs for children up to age 11 drew 50% of all program attendance, and sessions averaged 26 people each.

Children 0–1180,043Young adults 12–1823,896Adults 19+13,428General interest42,064
Children 0–1180,043Young adults 12–1823,896Adults 19+13,428General interest42,064

Nearest in size within South Carolina

All profiled systems in South Carolina

Charleston County in numbers, FY 2024

Visits
1,330,762
Physical checkouts
1,676,422
…of children's materials
867,245
Electronic checkouts
1,662,650
…of e-books
626,601
…of e-audio
846,690
Registered users
202,580
Program sessions
6,067
Program attendance
159,431
Print volumes
708,258
Audio items (physical)
14,057
Video items (physical)
94,404
Public computers
964
Public service hours, all outlets
46,261
Paid staff (full-time equivalent)
348.5
Operating spending
$36.9 million
…on books and other materials
$4.5 million
Overdue fines on print items
not charged

Where Charleston County gets its operating money

Operating revenue came to $37.5 million, or $91.80 per resident. The local-government share sits 6 percentage points above the combined share for the 41 profiled systems in South Carolina. No federal operating revenue was reported.

This system96%All profiled systems in South Carolina90%
This system96%All profiled systems in South Carolina90%
  • Local government
  • State
  • Federal
  • Other (fines, fees, gifts, grants)

Charleston County, building by building

The 18 buildings cover 309,314 square feet in total, 0.76 square feet per resident against a median of 0.46 for the size class. The largest building is Charleston County Public Library Main Library at 101,000 square feet; the smallest is Folly Beach Library at 250. The longest hours are at Charleston County Public Library Main Library, 63 a week.

BuildingTypeTownHours a weekFloor area, sq ft
Charleston County Public Library Main LibraryCentral libraryCharleston63101,000
Baxter-Patrick James Island LibraryBranchCharleston60.420,000
Bees Ferry West Ashley LibraryBranchCharleston60.320,000
Cynthia Graham Hurd St. Andrews LibraryBranchCharleston60.414,000
Dorchester Road LibraryBranchN. Charleston60.414,000
Edgar Allan Poe LibraryBranchSullivan`s Island38.63,596
Edisto Island LibraryBranchEdisto Island41.61,650
Folly Beach LibraryBranchFolly Beach25.2250
John L. Dart LibraryBranchCharleston576,585
John`s Island LibraryBranchJohn`s Island59.716,000
Keith Summey North Charleston LibraryBranchCharleston60.420,000
McClellanville LibraryBranchMcClellanville431,280
Mt. Pleasant LibraryBranchMt. Pleasant60.414,000
Otranto Road LibraryBranchN. Charleston60.414,000
St. Paul`s Hollywood LibraryBranchHollywood60.415,000
Village LibraryBranchMt. Pleasant35.81,413
Wando Mount Pleasant LibraryBranchMount Pleasant60.440,000
West Ashley LibraryBranchCharleston55.96,540
Mobile LibraryBookmobileNorth Charleston24.9

County libraries of similar size in other states

Of these six systems, one records more visits per resident than this one. The highest checkout rate in the group belongs to Akron-Summit Cnty Public Library in Ohio.

SystemBased inResidentsVisits per residentCheckouts per residentSpending per resident
Seminole County Public Library SystemCasselberry, FL445,8702.643.01$19.63
Brazoria County Library SystemAngleton, TX398,9381.863.60$23.35
Forsyth County Public LibraryWinston-Salem, NC392,8393.182.51$25.21
St. Lucie County Library SystemFort Pierce, FL385,6051.311.48$17.08
Akron-Summit Cnty Public LibraryAkron, OH381,6483.838.80$81.66
Davis County LibraryFarmington, UT373,2071.907.01$23.52