Photo: Chris Litherland · CC BY-SA 3.0Junction City’s library is a branch of Barton Library, which lends less per resident than 86% of systems its size
Junction City’s library is the Harper Memorial Library, a branch of Barton Library, which serves 37,397 people and lent 44K items last year.
The short version on Junction City’s library
The Barton Library system is used less than most libraries its size
The Barton Library system records 1.2 visits per resident, against a typical 2.6 for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people. Borrowing is 1.2 print items per resident, against a typical 3.7. It also spends less than most: $16 per resident, against a typical $40. How it compares ↓
Open only about 12 hours a week
The Junction City branch keeps short hours: about 12 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
Programs lean toward adults
52% of the 417 programs last year were for adults: classes, talks, clubs and events. 147 were for children. Kids & programs ↓
This summary is written from the numbers on this page. Numbers are the library’s own report to the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024; Junction City’s library is a branch of Barton Library, so they cover the whole system (37,397 people), not just the Junction City branch.
What’s behind Junction City’s civic life grade
Junction City isn’t graded on civic life: TownRatings grades towns of 1,000 residents or more.
Civic life counts registered nonprofits, library visits and online volunteering groups, so it can miss civic life that runs through congregations, mutual aid or neighbors looking out for each other.
Library visits: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024. Nonprofits: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, October 2026. Volunteering: Social Capital Atlas (Opportunity Insights), from data by Meta Platforms, Inc.; Chetty et al., Nature 2022. How TownRatings grades civic life →
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on 1 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people across the U.S.
Barton Library serves 37,397 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 7 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Barton Library system. The library’s own count.
Almost half the print loans are kids’ books
44K print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
Borrow from home with your card, plus research databases: courses, journals, genealogy and more.
About 3 kids’ programs a week
Story times, clubs, classes and events, across the whole system, by who they’re for.
Programs last year by age group
story times and programs a week for ages 0–5, on average.
Find it
Harper Memorial Library, 300 North Myrtle, Junction City.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Barton Library branch.
New in Junction City? The Handbook →Hours are the survey’s yearly average. Check the library’s own site for today’s hours.
For every $1 it spends, the library lends about $1.99 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Junction City cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $40. Operating budget $600K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $1.2M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $600K budget.
Fine-free. No late fees on books returned late.
Retail prices are typical, rounded down: a new book $17, a kids’ book $12, an e-book or e-audiobook $15, a movie rental $4, a class or program $10, a computer or Wi-Fi session $3. The average cardholder’s month = the library’s yearly loans, attendance and Wi-Fi sessions ÷ its 16,276 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- Digital loans not reported. The library didn’t report e-book loans, so borrowing here is print only.
- System-wide. Harper Memorial Library is one branch of Barton Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 37,397 people it serves.
Hours are the survey’s yearly average; libraries are compared with others serving about as many people. How TownRatings uses library figures →
Questions about the library and civic life in Junction City
Does Junction City have a public library?
Yes: Harper Memorial Library, 300 North Myrtle, is a branch of Barton Library, which serves 37,397 people. The branch is open about 12 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Barton Library fine-free? Does it lend e-books?
Yes to both: no late fees, and e-books, audiobooks and research databases with a card (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Junction City’s library?
It logged 1.2 visits and lent 1.2 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 2.6 visits for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people.
What is Junction City’s civic life grade?
Junction City isn’t graded on civic life: TownRatings grades towns of 1,000 residents or more. How it works.
Book talk
Reading, story times and the library in Junction City.
Libraries: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024. Each library reports its own numbers. Distances are straight-line from the town center. “What your card is worth” uses typical retail prices and is an estimate, not an official figure.