Library · Odessa

Ector County Library

Odessa’s library is the Ector County Library, a branch of Ector County Library, open about 55 hours a week.

IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024
County system. Odessa’s branch belongs to Ector County Library, which serves 164,494 people. The yearly numbers below are for the whole system, not just this branch. A card works at every branch.
Your branch

Ector County Library

321 W 5th St., Odessa 79761
55 hrsopen a week
47,398sq ft
Charges late finesLate fees on some overdue items
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
Fiscal year 2024

A year at Ector County Library

230K
visits
1.4 per resident
245K
loans, print + digital
1.5 per resident
339
programs & events
13K attended
161K
library cards
98% 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
1.4 visits · typical 2.1
Lower than most similar-size libraries (22th percentile)
Borrowing per resident
1.3 print items · typical 3.2
Lower than most similar-size libraries (12th percentile)
Digital borrowing
0.2 e-items · typical 1.4
Lower than most similar-size libraries (5th percentile)
Kids’ borrowing
0.4 kids’ items · typical 1.6
Lower than most similar-size libraries (8th percentile)
Program attendance
0.1 attendees · typical 0.2
Lower than most similar-size libraries (7th percentile)
Cardholders
98% of residents
Top 10% of similar-size libraries
Borrowing & programs

What people use it for

What people borrow

245K loans last year

Books & media (adults)62%Kids’ books & media27%E-books, audio & streaming12%

Who the programs are for

339 story times, classes, clubs and events

Ages 0–5
48
Ages 6–11
153
Teens
36
Adults
41
All ages
61
Money

Who pays for it

$12 per resident a year

Typical for a library this size: $36. Operating budget $2M.

Local 97%State 0%Federal 0%Gifts & other 3%
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.

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