Mobile Public Library
Mobile Public Library is a multi-jurisdictional public library system based in Mobile, Alabama, serving a legal service area of 371,984 residents through 10 library buildings and one bookmobile. Among the 214 profiled systems in Alabama, it ranks first for public computers, second for population served, second for physical checkouts and second for operating spending.
Among the 122 profiled systems serving 250,000 to 499,999 residents, it ranks tenth for public computers per resident. Against the median system of its size class, it records 16% less program attendance per resident and 16% less operating spending per resident.
Mobile against the 122 systems of its size class
Mobile, building by building
The 10 buildings cover 165,932 square feet in total, 0.45 square feet per resident against a median of 0.46 for the size class. The largest building is Mobile Public Library-Ben May Main Library at 49,258 square feet; the smallest is Mobile Public-Trinity Gardens Community Branch Library at 1,647. The longest hours are at Mobile Public Library-Ben May Main Library, 58.7 a week.
| Building | Type | Town | Hours a week | Floor area, sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Public Library-Ben May Main Library | Central library | Mobile | 58.7 | 49,258 |
| Grand Bay Library | Branch | Grand Bay | 40.3 | 4,992 |
| Mobile Public-Moorer/Spring Hill Branch | Branch | Mobile | 55.1 | 11,892 |
| Mobile Public-Parkway Branch | Branch | Mobile | 55.2 | 8,820 |
| Mobile Public-Saraland Branch Library | Branch | Mobile | 49.8 | 7,168 |
| Mobile Public-Theodore Oaks Branch | Branch | Mobile | 49.1 | 3,452 |
| Mobile Public-Toulminville Branch | Branch | Mobile | 54.3 | 15,395 |
| Mobile Public-Trinity Gardens Community Branch Library | Branch | Mobile | 12.6 | 1,647 |
| Mobile Public-West Regional Library | Branch | Mobile | 58.2 | 49,258 |
| Semmes Branch | Branch | Mobile | 48.5 | 14,050 |
| Mobile Public Library-Bookmobile | Bookmobile | Mobile | 8.3 |
Mobile in numbers, FY 2024
- Visits
- 777,546
- Physical checkouts
- 1,159,420
- …of children's materials
- 457,871
- Registered users
- 138,405
- Program sessions
- 2,661
- Program attendance
- 62,097
- Print volumes
- 459,656
- Audio items (physical)
- 45,981
- Video items (physical)
- 66,547
- Public computers
- 540
- Public service hours, all outlets
- 25,488
- Paid staff (full-time equivalent)
- 99.0
- Operating spending
- $11.2 million
- …on books and other materials
- $1.6 million
- Overdue fines on print items
- charged
Where Mobile gets its operating money
Operating revenue came to $11.2 million, or $30.22 per resident. The local-government share sits 3 percentage points above the combined share for the 213 profiled systems in Alabama. No federal operating revenue was reported.
- Local government
- State
- Federal
- Other (fines, fees, gifts, grants)
Mobile since FY 2019
Visits were 29% below the FY 2019 count of 1.1 million (size-class median: −30%). Physical checkouts moved 25% down over the same span.
- Visits
- Physical checkouts
Who comes to Mobile programs
Programs for children up to age 11 drew 51% of all program attendance, and sessions averaged 23 people each.
Multi-jurisdictional libraries of similar size in other states
Of these six systems, three record more visits per resident than this one. The highest checkout rate in the group belongs to Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Virginia.
| System | Based in | Residents | Visits per resident | Checkouts per resident | Spending per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoma County Library | Rohnert Park, CA | 478,152 | 2.98 | 5.72 | $87.04 |
| Central Rappahannock Regional Library | Fredericksburg, VA | 347,033 | 3.20 | 6.58 | $38.94 |
| Central Arkansas Library System | Little Rock, AR | 344,553 | 3.53 | 3.46 | $79.19 |
| First Regional Library | Hernando, MS | 321,878 | 1.81 | 2.49 | $16.89 |
| Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative | Niceville, FL | 311,554 | 1.26 | 1.80 | $17.83 |
| Flint River Regional Library System | Griffin, GA | 295,143 | 1.84 | 2.96 | $20.48 |
Nearest in size within Alabama
- Huntsville-Madison County Public Library · Huntsville · 403,565 residents
- Tuscaloosa Public Library · Tuscaloosa · 236,780 residents
- Montgomery City-County Public Library · Montgomery · 226,361 residents
- Birmingham Public Library · Birmingham · 196,910 residents