Short answer
The US has about 125,000 libraries of all kinds, according to the American Library Association's April 2026 estimate (125,211), most of them school libraries. Public libraries number 9,200 systems with 17,415 central libraries, branches and bookmobiles in fiscal 2024, according to IMLS's Public Libraries Survey. There are 3,695 academic libraries (NCES, fiscal 2023) and about 98,400 school library media centers (2020-21).
- 9,200 public library systems ran 9,014 central libraries, 7,687 branches and 712 bookmobiles in fiscal 2024.
- Public libraries spent $16.2 billion to operate in fiscal 2024; local government supplied 85.5% of their income.
- Most systems are small: 5,287 serve fewer than 10,000 people, and the median operating budget is $294,143.
- New York has the most public library systems (759); California has the most buildings (1,226).
- Libraries and library systems certified 2,035 E-Rate requests for funding year 2026, a public list of libraries shopping for internet and network services.
On this page
This page is for anyone who needs the number of libraries in America, and for companies that sell to them: library systems and e-content platforms, furniture and shelving, RFID and self-checkout, network and Wi-Fi installers, makerspace equipment, and programming providers. It counts each type of library from the federal sources, breaks public libraries down by governance, size, budget and state, shows how to download the lists, and explains who buys. For K-12 schools, see our list of schools.
How many libraries there are in the US
| Type of library | Number | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public library systems (administrative entities) | 9,200 | fiscal 2024 | IMLS Public Libraries Survey |
| Public library outlets | 17,415 | fiscal 2024 | IMLS: 9,014 central libraries, 7,687 branches, 712 bookmobiles, 2 books-by-mail |
| Academic libraries | 3,695 | fiscal 2023 | NCES IPEDS Academic Libraries |
| Public school library media centers | 80,500 | 2020-21 | NCES National Teacher and Principal Survey |
| Private school library media centers | 17,900 | 2020-21 | NCES National Teacher and Principal Survey |
| Special libraries (corporate, medical, law and others) | 4,396 | 2022-23 | ALA, from the American Library Directory |
| Government libraries | 801 | 2022-23 | ALA, from the American Library Directory |
| Armed forces libraries | 225 | 2022-23 | ALA, from the American Library Directory |
| All libraries | 125,211 | ALA estimate, updated April 2026 | American Library Association |
Public library figures cover the 50 states and DC. IMLS also counts 44 public libraries in Puerto Rico and the other territories.
No single survey counts every kind of library, so the ALA's total adds the latest count of each type. Its April 2026 edition still uses IMLS's fiscal 2019 public library figures; swapping in the fiscal 2024 public library count and the fiscal 2023 academic count gives about 125,100 (our calculation), so the national total has barely moved.
Why the counts differ
- Systems or buildings. A public library system (IMLS calls it an administrative entity) can run one building or a hundred. Counts of "9,000 public libraries" are systems; "17,000" counts buildings and bookmobiles. Buy decisions mostly sit with the system.
- School libraries are estimates. NCES estimates school library media centers from a sample survey, so the 80,500 and 17,900 carry margins of a few hundred.
- Special libraries come from a commercial directory. The ALA's special, government and armed forces counts come from the American Library Directory, not a federal survey.
Public libraries by governance and size
| Legal basis, fiscal 2024 | Systems |
|---|---|
| Municipal government (city, town or village) | 4,854 |
| Library district | 1,411 |
| Nonprofit association or agency | 1,302 |
| County or parish | 922 |
| Multi-jurisdictional | 287 |
| School district | 179 |
| City and county combined | 101 |
| Native American tribal government | 56 |
| Other | 88 |
| Population served | Systems |
|---|---|
| Under 2,500 | 2,528 |
| 2,500 to 9,999 | 2,759 |
| 10,000 to 24,999 | 1,749 |
| 25,000 to 99,999 | 1,573 |
| 100,000 to 499,999 | 492 |
| 500,000 or more | 99 |
Most public libraries are small and local: more than half belong to a city, town or village, and 5,287 of the 9,200 serve fewer than 10,000 people. 6,956 (75.6%) belong to a federation or cooperative, which often buys shared catalogs, e-books and delivery for its members.
Public library budgets
| Measure, fiscal 2024 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total operating income | $17.86 billion |
| from local government | $15.27 billion (85.5%) |
| from state government | $1.20 billion |
| from federal sources | $88 million |
| Total operating expenditure | $16.16 billion |
| Salaries | $7.69 billion |
| Collections (print $741 million, electronic $724 million, other) | $1.62 billion |
| Capital expenditure | $2.10 billion |
| Paid staff (full-time equivalent) | 147,301, including 53,129 librarians |
| Visits | 869 million |
| Circulation | 1.71 billion |
Our sums of the IMLS fiscal 2024 data file for the 9,200 libraries in the 50 states and DC. The median system spends $294,143 a year to operate. The largest by operating expenditure are the New York Public Library's branch libraries ($366.8 million), Los Angeles Public Library ($225.4 million), LA County Library ($195.2 million), San Francisco Public Library ($168.0 million) and Brooklyn Public Library ($159.1 million).
Public libraries by state
| State | Library systems | Buildings and bookmobiles | Operating expenditure |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 759 | 1,068 | $1,579 million |
| Illinois | 623 | 794 | $906 million |
| Iowa | 544 | 574 | $161 million |
| Texas | 544 | 891 | $695 million |
| Pennsylvania | 443 | 626 | $435 million |
| Michigan | 396 | 663 | $511 million |
| Wisconsin | 381 | 466 | $289 million |
| Massachusetts | 367 | 463 | $422 million |
| Kansas | 323 | 378 | $181 million |
| New Jersey | 295 | 448 | $554 million |
IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal 2024, our tally. California has only 221 systems but the most buildings (1,226) and the second-largest spending ($2,143 million), because its libraries are large city and county systems. Ohio (251 systems, 784 buildings, $951 million) is similar.
Academic libraries
NCES counted 3,695 academic libraries at colleges and universities in fiscal 2023. 2,829 spent $100,000 or more; together those spent $8.55 billion, including $3.32 billion on materials and services, and ran 2,849 branch libraries. Academic libraries employed 73,826 full-time-equivalent staff, 24,453 of them librarians. 222 have collections that are entirely digital. For the institutions themselves, see our list of universities.
How to get a list of libraries
| List | Format | Key fields |
|---|---|---|
| IMLS Public Libraries Survey data files | Free CSV, SAS and SPSS, released each year (fiscal 2024 in June 2026) | System file: name, address, phone, county, legal basis, population served, outlets, staff, income, spending by category, collections, visits. Outlet file: every building and bookmobile with address, square feet, hours and coordinates |
| NCES IPEDS Academic Libraries | Free CSV by year, joined to IPEDS institution files | Expenses, materials spending, staff, librarians, branches |
| USAC E-Rate Form 470 open data | Free, searchable and downloadable | Libraries requesting internet and network equipment, with services, dates and contacts |
| State library agencies | Directories, varies by state | Current directors and contact details |
The IMLS file names systems and buildings but not directors; state library agency directories usually do. Libraries and library systems certified 2,035 E-Rate Form 470s for funding year 2026, and 248 had certified requests for 2027 by 30 October 2026.
Who buys inside a library
As general guidance:
| What you sell | Who usually decides |
|---|---|
| Integrated library system, catalog and e-content platforms | The director and systems librarian, often through a consortium or the state library |
| E-books, databases and periodicals | Collection development or e-resources librarians, often under consortium licenses |
| Buildings, furniture and shelving | The director with the library board; large projects need a referendum, bond or city budget |
| RFID, self-checkout and security gates | The director and circulation or operations manager |
| Network and Wi-Fi | IT staff, through the E-Rate process for discounted equipment |
| Programs and events | Branch managers and youth or adult services librarians |
A board of trustees, appointed or elected, approves budgets at most public libraries. Municipal libraries also follow their city's purchasing rules; library districts are separate local governments with their own boards.
Worked example: self-checkout for Illinois libraries
Illustrative example. The company, its price and its rates are invented; the counts come from IMLS's fiscal 2024 Public Libraries Survey.
The seller: ShelfSense (shelfsense.example) sells RFID self-checkout kiosks and security gates to public libraries at an illustrative $45,000 per building.
- Pick the segment. Illinois has 99 public library systems serving 25,000 to 99,999 people, with 126 buildings: 53 library districts and 46 municipal libraries. Their median operating budget is $3.70 million, and 82 reported capital spending in fiscal 2024 ($60.6 million in all).
- Do the arithmetic. If an illustrative 12% of the 126 buildings replace circulation equipment in a year, that's 15 projects. Winning a third gives 5, about $225,000 a year.
- Time it. Library budgets are set months before the fiscal year starts. Reach directors before the budget is drafted, and bring a quote the board can approve.
- Find the buyer. The director decides with the board. Finding each director and what's changed (a renovation, a new building, a referendum) is the slow part; Bebop finds the contacts and researches each library in the list.
Next step: profile each target library with the account research template before you write.
Sources
- Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024: data files and documentation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, June 2026
- Library statistics and figures: number of libraries in the United States, American Library Association, updated 24 April 2026
- IPEDS Academic Libraries, fiscal year 2023 (AL2023 data file and dictionary), National Center for Education Statistics, September 2024
- Digest of Education Statistics, Table 701.15: public and private schools with libraries/media centers, 2020-21, National Center for Education Statistics, April 2023
- E-Rate Open Competitive Bidding: Basic Information and Services Requested (FCC Form 470), Universal Service Administrative Company, data as of 30 October 2026
Written by the Bebop team at Blackpearl Group. Published .
Questions people ask
How many libraries are in the US?
About 125,000 of all kinds. The American Library Association's April 2026 estimate is 125,211, most of them school libraries. IMLS counts 9,200 public library systems with 17,415 central libraries, branches and bookmobiles for fiscal 2024; NCES counts 3,695 academic libraries and about 98,400 school library media centers. Special, government and armed forces libraries add about 5,400.
How many public libraries are in the US?
9,200 public library systems in the 50 states and DC in fiscal 2024, according to the IMLS Public Libraries Survey released in June 2026. They run 17,415 outlets: 9,014 central libraries, 7,687 branches, 712 bookmobiles and 2 books-by-mail services. A system can be one small-town library or a city system with dozens of branches, which is why counts of 9,000 and 17,000 both appear.
Which state has the most public libraries?
New York, with 759 public library systems and 1,068 buildings and bookmobiles in fiscal 2024, followed by Illinois (623 systems) and Iowa and Texas (544 each), according to IMLS. California has fewer systems (221) but the most buildings, 1,226, because its libraries are large city and county systems. New York's libraries also spend the most, $1.58 billion a year.
How are public libraries funded?
Mostly by local government. Of the $17.86 billion in operating income US public libraries reported for fiscal 2024, $15.27 billion (85.5%) came from local government, $1.20 billion from states and $88 million from federal sources, according to the IMLS Public Libraries Survey. The rest came from other sources such as fees, donations and grants. They spent $16.16 billion to operate, nearly half of it on salaries.
How many academic libraries are there?
3,695 college and university libraries reported to the National Center for Education Statistics for fiscal 2023. 2,829 of them spent $100,000 or more a year, $8.55 billion in total, and they ran 2,849 branch libraries. Academic libraries employed about 73,800 full-time-equivalent staff, including about 24,500 librarians. 222 have entirely digital collections.
Where can I download a list of public libraries?
From IMLS's Public Libraries Survey page. The fiscal 2024 data files, released in June 2026, are free CSVs: a system file with each library's name, address, phone, legal basis, population served, staff and spending, and an outlet file with every building and bookmobile, its address and coordinates. State library agencies publish directories with directors' names.