librarysystems

Detroit Public Library

Detroit, MichiganWayne CountyMunicipal libraryLarge cityFiscal year July 2023 to June 2024

Detroit Public Library is a municipal public library system based in Detroit (Wayne County), Michigan, serving a legal service area of 639,111 residents through 22 library buildings. Among the 368 profiled systems in Michigan, it leads on population served, number of library buildings, public computers and print volumes.

Among profiled systems serving 500,000 to 999,999 residents, it ranks third for print volumes per resident, third for public computers per resident and ninth for library floor space per resident, but ranks last for physical checkouts per resident and records the steepest decline in physical checkouts since FY 2019. Against the median system of its size class, it records only 25% of the visits per resident and 29% less program attendance per resident.

Compare with similar-size systemsSystems serving 500,000 to 999,999

Detroit against the 61 systems of its size class

size-class median (50th percentile) · spine height = percentile within the class0.54Visitsper resident2nd percentile0.27Checkoutsper resident1st percentile$48.30Spendingper resident52nd percentile3.83Print volumesper resident96th percentile129Program visitsper 1,000 people17th percentile14.9Computersper 10,000 people96th percentile30.0Open hoursper outlet a week3rd percentile4.1Staff (FTE)per 10,000 people50th percentile
Gold tick: size-class medianVisits per resident0.542nd pct.Checkouts per resident0.271st pct.Spending per resident$48.3052nd pct.Print volumes per resident3.8396th pct.Program visits per 1,000 people12917th pct.Computers per 10,000 people14.996th pct.Open hours per outlet a week30.03rd pct.Staff (FTE) per 10,000 people4.150th pct.

How the measures and percentiles are calculated

Detroit, building by building

The 19 buildings cover 575,112 square feet in total, 0.90 square feet per resident against a median of 0.45 for the size class. The largest building is Detroit Public Library at 420,000 square feet; the smallest is Elmwood Park Branch Library at 5,000. The longest hours are at Detroit Public Library, 50.8 a week.

BuildingTypeTownHours a weekFloor area, sq ft
Detroit Public LibraryCentral libraryDetroit50.8420,000
Bowen Branch LibraryBranchDetroit407,135
Campbell Branch Library at Lawndale StationBranchDetroit407,000
Chandler Park Branch LibraryBranchDetroit407,870
Chaney Branch LibraryBranchDetroit407,270
Chase Branch LibraryBranchDetroit405,590
Duffield Branch LibraryBranchDetroit4010,200
Edison Branch LibraryBranchDetroit4010,935
Elmwood Park Branch LibraryBranchDetroit405,000
Franklin Branch LibraryBranchDetroit405,670
Frederick Douglass Branch for Special ServicesBranchDetroit4015,401
Hubbard Branch LibraryBranchDetroit407,562
Jefferson Branch LibraryBranchDetroit406,914
Knapp Branch LibraryBranchDetroit405,843
Lincoln Branch LibraryBranchDetroit406,070
Parkman Branch LibraryBranchDetroit4018,540
Redford Branch LibraryBranchDetroit409,992
Sherwood Forest Branch LibraryBranchDetroit406,580
Wilder Branch LibraryBranchDetroit4011,540

Detroit in numbers, FY 2024

Visits
343,443
Physical checkouts
169,675
…of children's materials
74,316
Electronic checkouts
146,960
…of e-books
83,820
…of e-audio
12,295
Registered users
138,683
Program sessions
4,573
Program attendance
82,552
Print volumes
2,449,507
Audio items (physical)
27,341
Video items (physical)
141,257
Public computers
952
Public service hours, all outlets
34,280
Paid staff (full-time equivalent)
263.0
Operating spending
$30.9 million
…on books and other materials
$1.1 million
Overdue fines on print items
not charged

Where Detroit gets its operating money

Operating revenue came to $39 million, or $60.95 per resident. The local-government share is close to the combined share for the 367 profiled systems in Michigan. No federal operating revenue was reported.

This system91%All profiled systems in Michigan91%
This system91%All profiled systems in Michigan91%
  • Local government
  • State
  • Federal
  • Other (fines, fees, gifts, grants)

Who comes to Detroit programs

Programs for children up to age 11 drew 48% of all program attendance, and sessions averaged 18 people each.

Children 0–1139,555Young adults 12–1812,307Adults 19+30,690
Children 0–1139,555Young adults 12–1812,307Adults 19+30,690

Nearest in size within Michigan

  • Kent District Library · Comstock Park · 439,194 residents
  • Genesee District Library · Flint · 334,645 residents
  • Capital Area District Library · Lansing · 244,451 residents
  • Grand Rapids Public Library · Grand Rapids · 198,917 residents

All profiled systems in Michigan

Municipal libraries of similar size in other states

All six of these systems record more visits per resident than this one. The highest checkout rate in the group belongs to Denver Public Library in Colorado.

SystemBased inResidentsVisits per residentCheckouts per residentSpending per resident
Denver Public LibraryDenver, CO715,6363.575.86$127.68
District of Columbia Public LibraryWashington, DC702,2504.815.46$121.10
El Paso Public LibraryEl Paso, TX678,9581.051.50$15.67
Milwaukee Public LibraryMilwaukee, WI577,8952.001.86$59.20
Enoch Pratt Free LibraryBaltimore, MD576,4982.072.18$92.89
Omaha Public LibraryOmaha, NE571,0132.314.97$36.23