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RIRhode Island rankings

Towns that borrow the most from their library in Rhode Island

Ranked by books, movies, e-books and other items the town’s public library lent in a year, per resident. 30 towns with 2,500+ residents.

IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024

Warwick
Rhode Island · Most library borrowing

Where Warwick lands: #17 of 30

6.6 per resident books, movies & e-books borrowed a year · Visit Warwick →

Barrington 1 Barrington Bristol County 19.6 per resident Barrington Public Library East Greenwich 2 East Greenwich Kent County 13.2 per resident East Greenwich Free Library Charlestown 3 Charlestown Washington County 11.7 per resident Cross' Mills Public Library
#TownLoans per residentLibraryLoans a year
1 Barrington BarringtonBristol County · 17,126 people 19.6 per resident Barrington Public Library 336,720
2 East Greenwich East GreenwichKent County · 14,554 people 13.2 per resident East Greenwich Free Library 189,244
3 Charlestown CharlestownWashington County · 8,051 people 11.7 per resident Cross' Mills Public Library 93,563
4 Narragansett NarragansettWashington County · 14,494 people 11.6 per resident Maury Loontjens Memorial Library (Narragansett) 169,287
5 Jamestown JamestownNewport County · 5,534 people 11.6 per resident Jamestown Philomenian Library 64,730
6 Little Compton Little ComptonNewport County · 3,584 people 11.1 per resident Brownell Library, Home of Little Compton 40,093
7 Westerly WesterlyWashington County · 23,333 people 10.3 per resident Westerly Public Library 240,015
8 Exeter ExeterWashington County · 7,195 people 9.2 per resident Exeter Public Library 59,488
9 Lincoln LincolnProvidence County · 22,864 people 9.0 per resident Lincoln Public Library 203,533
10 Cumberland CumberlandProvidence County · 36,820 people 8.2 per resident Cumberland Public Library 297,349
11 South Kingstown South KingstownWashington County · 32,073 people 8.1 per resident South Kingstown Public Library 258,004
12 Middletown MiddletownNewport County · 16,832 people 7.9 per resident Middletown Public Library 135,095
13 West Greenwich West GreenwichKent County · 6,647 people 7.9 per resident Louttit Library 51,732
14 Cranston Cranston83,250 people 6.8 per resident Cranston Public Library 563,297
15 Portsmouth PortsmouthNewport County · 17,644 people 6.8 per resident Portsmouth Free Public Library 121,425
16 Tiverton TivertonNewport County · 16,189 people 6.8 per resident Tiverton Public Library 111,692
17 Warwick Warwick83,175 people 6.6 per resident Warwick Public Library 479,640
18 Bristol BristolBristol County · 22,220 people 6.3 per resident Rogers Free Library 141,583
19 East Providence East Providence47,281 people 6.1 per resident East Providence Public Library 287,912
20 Coventry CoventryKent County · 35,907 people 5.1 per resident Coventry Public Library 183,762
21 North Providence North ProvidenceProvidence County · 34,293 people 4.9 per resident Mayor Salvatore Mancini Union Free Library 167,057
22 Richmond RichmondWashington County · 8,142 people 4.6 per resident Clark Memorial Library 36,735
23 North Smithfield North SmithfieldProvidence County · 12,708 people 4.5 per resident North Smithfield Public Library 56,671
24 Foster FosterProvidence County · 4,523 people 4.5 per resident Libraries of Foster 20,046
25 Warren WarrenBristol County · 11,144 people 3.9 per resident George Hail Free Library 43,254
26 West Warwick West WarwickKent County · 31,173 people 3.7 per resident West Warwick Public Library 114,872
27 Johnston JohnstonProvidence County · 29,835 people 2.4 per resident Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library 69,915
28 Woonsocket Woonsocket43,521 people 2.0 per resident Woonsocket Harris Public Library 86,797
29 Pawtucket Pawtucket75,893 people 1.9 per resident Pawtucket Public Library 144,037
30 Central Falls Central Falls22,701 people 0.2 per resident Adams Public Library 4,632

How this ranking works

We rank every town by books, movies, e-books and other items the town’s public library lent in a year, per resident. The highest figure ranks #1. Each library reports its own yearly numbers to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (fiscal year 2024), and each town’s Library page shows how it compares with libraries of a similar size nationwide.

A town is ranked only when its library system serves that town alone, and the library’s own count of the people it serves is within 20% of the town’s population. Towns served by a county or regional system, or sharing a library with a neighbor, can’t be credited with the numbers, so they aren’t ranked. Libraries that didn’t respond to the survey aren’t ranked either. Vacation towns can rank high because summer residents and visitors use the library too.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Libraries: IMLS Public Libraries Survey. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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