Library · Dallas
Libraries in Dallas
Dallas Public Library serves Dallas’s 1,302,868 residents from 30 locations. Last year it logged 466,700 visits, about 0.4 for every resident, and lent 5.7M books, movies and e-books.
IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024Main library
Dallas Public Library
1515 Young St., Dallas 75201
48 hrsopen a week
646,733sq ft
1.9Mbooks & media
Fine-freeNo late fees on books returned late
E-books & audiobooksBorrow from home with your card
Auto-renews loansBooks renew on their own if no one’s waiting
Research databasesOnline courses, journals, genealogy and more
#180
#180 of 183 · Most-used libraries in TX →Among TX towns of 2,500+ people with a library of their own#81 · Most library borrowing →#101 · Best libraries for kids →
Fiscal year 2024
A year at the library
467K
visits
0.4 per resident
5.7M
loans, print + digital
4.4 per resident
14K
programs & events
208K attended
688K
library cards
53% of people served
How it compares
Against libraries serving 100,000+ people
Per-resident numbers, compared only with libraries of a similar size across the country, because a tiny town’s library always looks busier per person.
Visits per resident
0.4 visits · typical 2.1
Lower than most similar-size libraries (3th percentile)
Borrowing per resident
3.0 print items · typical 3.2
A little below typical (47th percentile)
Digital borrowing
1.4 e-items · typical 1.4
Higher than 51% of similar-size libraries
Kids’ borrowing
1.3 kids’ items · typical 1.6
A little below typical (41th percentile)
Program attendance
0.2 attendees · typical 0.2
A little below typical (31th percentile)
Cardholders
53% of residents
Higher than 71% of similar-size libraries
Borrowing & programs
What people use it for
What people borrow
5.7M loans last year
Books & media (adults)39%Kids’ books & media30%E-books, audio & streaming32%
Who the programs are for
13,662 story times, classes, clubs and events
Money
Who pays for it
$33 per resident a year
Typical for a library this size: $36. Operating budget $42M.
Local 98%Federal 0%Gifts & other 2%
Locations
Other libraries in Dallas
And 17 more in Dallas.
About these numbers
How to read this page
Hours are an averageThe survey reports a building’s public hours for the whole year. We divide by the weeks it was open, so check the library’s own site for today’s hours.
Compared by size“Similar-size” means libraries serving about as many people, nationwide. Per-resident numbers always flatter the smallest towns, so they’re never compared with big cities.
One year, the library’s own countLibraries report their own visits, loans and programs for fiscal year 2024. A library that didn’t respond keeps its address and hours here, with no numbers.
Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024. Distances are straight-line from the town center.