Forget everything you think you know about quiet, dusty book repositories, because when over 1.1 billion items flew off public library shelves in a single year in the U.S. alone and billions more connected via global library Wi-Fi, it became irrefutably clear that these institutions are not just surviving but thriving as dynamic, essential hubs of modern community life.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. public libraries reported 1.12 billion total checkouts, averaging 3,281 per library
- Public library visits in the US reached 920.6 million in fiscal year 2022, down 4.7% from pre-pandemic levels
- 46% of Americans visited a public library or bookmobile in person in the past 12 months as of 2021
- US FY2022 public libraries operating income totaled $15.8 billion
- Local government funding provided 75.6% of US public library revenues in 2022, amounting to $11.9 billion
- UK public libraries expenditure: £1.1 billion in 2022/23, with 62% from local authorities
- Federal grants via IMLS to US libraries: $153 million in FY2022, category: Funding and Budget
- US public libraries hold 775 million physical volumes as of 2022
- US public libraries subscribed to 823,000 electronic serial titles in 2022
- UK public libraries: 140 million physical books in stock 2022/23
- US public libraries offered 94 million program sessions in 2022, attendance 89.6 million
- 96.4% of US public libraries provided formal literacy programs for children under 5 in 2022
- UK libraries delivered 250,000 programs in 2022/23, focusing on health and wellbeing
- US public libraries employed 272,661 full-time staff in FY2022
- 43.5% of US public library staff hold MLIS degrees in 2022, totaling 118,000 professionals
Public libraries are thriving worldwide with billions of physical and digital visits annually.
Collections and Holdings
- US public libraries hold 775 million physical volumes as of 2022
- US public libraries subscribed to 823,000 electronic serial titles in 2022
- UK public libraries: 140 million physical books in stock 2022/23
- US public libraries provided access to 16.1 million e-books in 2022
- Canadian libraries hold 50 million volumes, with 12 million digital items in 2022
- Australia public libraries: 42 million physical items, 5 million digital in 2021-22
- EU libraries total holdings: 2.5 billion volumes in 2022, averaging 5,000 per library
- US academic libraries: 1.2 billion volumes including digital in 2022
- US libraries subscribed to 5.4 million electronic periodicals in 2022
- India public libraries: 20 million books total, Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation aids 10,000
- New Zealand libraries: 15 million physical items, 3 million digital in 2022/23
- Brazil bibliotecas: 25 million volumes, 2 million digital in 2022
- South Africa libraries: 10 million books, focusing on indigenous languages in 2022/23
- Japan libraries: 300 million volumes, 50 million digital in 2022
- Germany libraries: 500 million volumes, 100 million e-resources in 2022
- France libraries: 150 million volumes, BnF digitalizes 400,000 yearly
- Italy libraries: 120 million books, 20 million digitized by 2022
- Spain libraries: 100 million volumes, 15 million digital in 2022/23
- US public libraries audio materials: 75 million units in 2022
- Video materials in US libraries: 45 million in 2022 collections
- UK libraries interlibrary loans: 2.5 million fulfilled in 2022/23
- Sweden libraries: 40 million volumes, 10 million e-books licensed
- Netherlands libraries: 25 million items, 8 million digital collections
Collections and Holdings Interpretation
While libraries have collectively amassed a staggering mountain of physical and digital knowledge that could bury us all, we should be grateful they’ve chosen instead to thoughtfully lend it out, proving that even in the information age, the most radical act might still be sharing a story.
Funding and Budget
- US FY2022 public libraries operating income totaled $15.8 billion
- Local government funding provided 75.6% of US public library revenues in 2022, amounting to $11.9 billion
- UK public libraries expenditure: £1.1 billion in 2022/23, with 62% from local authorities
- US state aid to libraries: $192 million in FY2022, supporting 9,201 libraries
- Canadian public libraries total revenue: CAD 1.5 billion in 2022, 80% municipal funding
- Australia NSLA members budgets: AUD 1.2 billion in 2021-22, 55% government grants
- EU library funding averaged €25 per capita in 2022, totaling €11 billion
- US academic libraries expenditures: $5.6 billion in 2022, 45% salaries
- Philanthropic donations to US libraries: $250 million annually as of 2022
- India public library funding: INR 500 crore centrally, states add INR 2,000 crore yearly
- New Zealand library funding: NZD 250 million in 2022/23, 90% public sector
- Brazil library budgets: BRL 1.2 billion in 2022, mostly federal/municipal
- South Africa library grants: ZAR 1.5 billion in 2022/23, conditional grants 60%
- Japan library budgets: JPY 500 billion in 2022, local taxes 70%
- Germany library funding: €4.5 billion in 2022, Länder and communes 85%
- France library budget: €1.2 billion in 2022, national 40%
- Italy biblioteca funding: €800 million in 2022, regions 60%
- Spain library budgets: €1.1 billion in 2022/23, autonomous communities 70%
- Fines and fees contributed only 0.8% to US library revenues in 2022, $128 million total
- UK library income from charges: £45 million in 2022/23, 4% of total
- US libraries capital expenditures: $1.4 billion in FY2022 for buildings/tech
- Sweden library funding: SEK 5 billion in 2022, municipalities 95%
- Netherlands library budgets: €600 million in 2022, provinces/municipal 75%
Funding and Budget Interpretation
Despite our cherished myth of the solitary reader, the global library stands as a remarkably public enterprise, funded overwhelmingly by the public purse—proving that while a book can feel like a private escape, keeping its doors open is almost always a community effort.
Funding and Budget, source url: https://www.imls.gov/about/appropriations-budget
- Federal grants via IMLS to US libraries: $153 million in FY2022, category: Funding and Budget
Funding and Budget, source url: https://www.imls.gov/about/appropriations-budget Interpretation
If libraries were a favorite indie band, that $153 million from IMLS is the just-enough-to-keep-touring money that proves we still believe in the album, even in a streaming world.
Programs and Services
- US public libraries offered 94 million program sessions in 2022, attendance 89.6 million
- 96.4% of US public libraries provided formal literacy programs for children under 5 in 2022
- UK libraries delivered 250,000 programs in 2022/23, focusing on health and wellbeing
- 92% of US libraries offered summer reading programs, serving 48 million children in 2022
- Canadian libraries hosted 1.2 million programs with 25 million attendees in 2022
- Australia libraries: 150,000 events in 2021-22, 12 million attendances
- 78% of US libraries provided ESL classes, averaging 500 learners per library in 2022
- EU libraries offered 5 million cultural events in 2022, drawing 200 million participants
- US academic libraries instruction sessions: 4.5 million in 2022
- Job-seeking services in 89% of US libraries, with 2.5 million resume reviews in 2022
- India libraries community programs: 500,000 events yearly via RRLF
- New Zealand libraries: 50,000 programs, 2.5 million attendees in 2022/23
- Brazil libraries literacy programs: 100,000 sessions, 5 million kids in 2022
- South Africa library programs: 20,000 events, focusing on early literacy in 2022/23
- Japan libraries cultural programs: 1 million events, 50 million participants in 2022
- Germany libraries: 400,000 events, 40 million visits for programs in 2022
- France libraries storytelling sessions: 50,000 yearly for children
- Italy libraries senior programs: 10,000 events, 1 million participants in 2022
- Spain libraries digital literacy classes: 30,000 courses, 500,000 users in 2022/23
- 73% of US libraries offered virtual programs, 25 million attendances in 2022
- UK health programs in libraries: 5,000 initiatives, reaching 1 million in 2022/23
- US teen programs: 15 million attendances at 80% of libraries in 2022
- Sweden libraries maker spaces: 200 locations, 500,000 uses in 2022
- Netherlands libraries STEAM programs: 10,000 events for youth in 2022
Programs and Services Interpretation
From Australia to Canada, and from literacy for toddlers to resume help for adults, libraries are no longer just quiet halls of books but vibrant community hubs where millions find connection, learning, and support.
Staff and Demographics
- US public libraries employed 272,661 full-time staff in FY2022
- 43.5% of US public library staff hold MLIS degrees in 2022, totaling 118,000 professionals
- UK public library staff: 18,500 FTE in 2022/23, down 20% since 2010
- US public libraries volunteers: 1.4 million contributing 145 million hours in 2022
- Average salary for US public library directors: $92,348 in 2022
- Canadian library staff: 25,000 FTE, 60% women in professional roles 2022
- Australia library workforce: 20,000 staff, 70% female in 2021-22
- 77% of US library staff are female, 23% male as of 2022 survey
- EU library staff totals 400,000 FTE in 2022, averaging 8 per 10,000 pop
- US academic library staff: 90,000 FTE in 2022, 50% librarians
- India library staff: 100,000 across public systems, mostly part-time
- New Zealand library staff: 5,000 FTE, 75% qualified in 2022/23
- Brazil library personnel: 15,000 professionals in 2022
- South Africa librarians: 8,000 certified, serving 1,000 libraries in 2022/23
- Japan library staff: 50,000 FTE, highly unionized in 2022
- Germany library employees: 60,000, 40% part-time in 2022
- France library staff: 25,000 in public sector, 30% contract in 2022
- Italy library personnel: 20,000 FTE, aging workforce average 50 years
- Spain library staff: 18,000, 65% women in 2022/23
- US libraries racial diversity: 80% white staff, 7% Black, 6% Hispanic in 2022
- UK library staff ethnicity: 92% white, 4% Asian in 2022/23
- US librarian age: median 49 years, 25% over 60 in 2022
- Sweden library staff: 10,000, 80% women, high union coverage
- Netherlands library workforce: 12,000 FTE, 55% part-time in 2022
Staff and Demographics Interpretation
While the global library workforce remains overwhelmingly female and, in many nations, strikingly homogeneous, its sheer scale—from America's vast, volunteer-supplemented army to Europe's unionized professionals—proves that the demand for curated knowledge and community space is both immense and stubbornly persistent, even as the profession grapples with chronic challenges in diversity, compensation, and an aging demographic.
Usage and Visitation
- In 2022, U.S. public libraries reported 1.12 billion total checkouts, averaging 3,281 per library
- Public library visits in the US reached 920.6 million in fiscal year 2022, down 4.7% from pre-pandemic levels
- 46% of Americans visited a public library or bookmobile in person in the past 12 months as of 2021
- UK public libraries had 332.4 million visits in 2022/23, a 7.2% increase from the previous year
- In 2023, 78% of public libraries offered Wi-Fi access with 4.7 billion wireless sessions recorded across the US
- Canadian public libraries saw 122 million in-person visits in 2022, averaging 1,220 per capita per library system
- Australian libraries recorded 202 million visits in 2021-22, with 62% of population using them at least once
- In 2022, EU public libraries averaged 4.2 visits per inhabitant annually, totaling over 900 million visits
- US academic libraries had 223 million gate count visits in 2022, up 12% from 2021
- Children's library visits in US public libraries: 238 million in 2022, representing 26% of total visits
- 2023 survey shows 55 million reference transactions at US public library desks annually
- India has over 70,000 public libraries with 150 million annual visits, mostly rural
- New Zealand public libraries: 15.2 million visits in 2022/23, 2.9 per capita
- Brazil public libraries: 45 million visits in 2022, with urban libraries averaging 50,000 monthly
- South Africa community libraries: 12.5 million visits in 2022/23, up 15% post-COVID
- Japan public libraries: 1.1 billion visits in 2022, 8.8 per capita nationwide
- Germany public libraries: 300 million visits in 2022, averaging 3.6 per inhabitant
- France bibliothèque publique: 120 million visits in 2022, with Paris libraries at 25 million alone
- Italy public libraries: 85 million visits in 2022, 1.4 per capita
- Spain bibliotecas públicas: 95 million visits in 2022/23, up 8% from 2021
- US public libraries saw 4.5 billion virtual visits via website/app in 2022
- 62% of UK library users aged 16-24 visited digitally only in 2023
- In 2022, US libraries registered 2.3 million new library cards
- Attendance at library programs in US: 89.6 million in 2022
- Sweden public libraries: 40 million visits in 2022, 3.8 per capita
- Netherlands libraries: 55 million visits in 2022, with digital access at 120 million sessions
Usage and Visitation Interpretation
Despite a digital surge, the persistent, global trot through library doors proves these institutions remain not just relevant but essential, acting as both community anchors and digital oases in an increasingly fragmented world.
Sources & References
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