Lubbock Public Library
Lubbock Public Library is a municipal public library system based in Lubbock, Texas, serving a legal service area of 299,167 residents through four library buildings. Among the 122 profiled systems serving 250,000 to 499,999 residents, it ranks second-lowest for public computers per resident, sixth-lowest for operating spending per resident and seventh-lowest for paid staff per resident.
By population served it is the 12th-largest of the 503 profiled systems in Texas. Against the median system of its size class, it records 48% fewer visits per resident and 47% fewer physical checkouts per resident.
Lubbock against the 122 systems of its size class
Lubbock, building by building
The four buildings cover 111,482 square feet in total, 0.37 square feet per resident against a median of 0.46 for the size class. The largest building is Lubbock Public Library at 78,000 square feet; the smallest is Groves Branch Library at 10,426. The longest hours are at Lubbock Public Library, 68.1 a week.
| Building | Type | Town | Hours a week | Floor area, sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lubbock Public Library | Central library | Lubbock | 68.1 | 78,000 |
| Godeke Branch Library | Branch | Lubbock | 52.4 | 12,630 |
| Groves Branch Library | Branch | Lubbock | 52.4 | 10,426 |
| Patterson Branch Library | Branch | Lubbock | 52.4 | 10,426 |
Lubbock in numbers, FY 2024
- Visits
- 345,337
- Physical checkouts
- 557,921
- …of children's materials
- 309,906
- Electronic checkouts
- 287,122
- …of e-books
- 105,759
- …of e-audio
- 126,535
- Registered users
- 76,998
- Program sessions
- 1,442
- Program attendance
- 59,505
- Print volumes
- 282,020
- Audio items (physical)
- 8,502
- Video items (physical)
- 34,642
- Public computers
- 34
- Public service hours, all outlets
- 11,264
- Paid staff (full-time equivalent)
- 47.3
- Operating spending
- $4.1 million
- …on books and other materials
- $374,144
- Overdue fines on print items
- charged
Where Lubbock gets its operating money
Operating revenue came to $4.3 million, or $14.53 per resident. The local-government share sits 4 percentage points above the combined share for the 503 profiled systems in Texas. No federal operating revenue was reported.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other (fines, fees, gifts, grants)
Lubbock since FY 2019
Visits were 26% below the FY 2019 count of 466,094 (size-class median: −30%). Physical checkouts moved 32% down over the same span.
- Visits
- Physical checkouts
Who comes to Lubbock programs
Programs for children up to age 11 drew 51% of all program attendance, and sessions averaged 41 people each.
Municipal libraries of similar size in other states
Of these six systems, four record more visits per resident than this one. The highest checkout rate in the group belongs to Tacoma Public Library in Washington.
| System | Based in | Residents | Visits per resident | Checkouts per resident | Spending per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane Public Library | Spokane, WA | 233,000 | 5.44 | 2.61 | $58.74 |
| Hialeah Public Libraries | Hialeah, FL | 230,575 | 0.70 | 0.15 | $10.20 |
| Santa Clarita Public Library | Santa Clarita, CA | 230,428 | 1.77 | 3.95 | $36.80 |
| Richmond Public Library | Richmond, VA | 226,623 | 2.35 | 2.66 | $39.05 |
| San Bernardino Public Library | San Bernardino, CA | 226,541 | 0.19 | 0.18 | $12.65 |
| Tacoma Public Library | Tacoma, WA | 225,100 | 2.07 | 5.18 | $91.56 |
Nearest in size within Texas
- Plano Public Library System · Plano · 290,190 residents
- Corpus Christi Public Libraries · Corpus Christi · 316,595 residents
- Brownsville Public Library · Brownsville · 259,714 residents
- Laredo Public Library · Laredo · 257,602 residents