Photo: Laura Barnes · Public domainAsh Fork’s library is a branch of Yavapai County Free Library District, which lends less per resident than 95% of systems its size
Ash Fork’s library is the Ash Fork Public Library, a branch of Yavapai County Free Library District, which serves 251,768 people and lent 183K items last year.
What Ash Fork’s library is like
The Yavapai County Free Library District system is used less than most libraries its size
The Yavapai County Free Library District system records 0.5 visits per resident, against a typical 2.1 for libraries serving 100,000+ people. Borrowing is 0.7 print items per resident, against a typical 3.2. It also spends less than most: $14 per resident, against a typical $36. How it compares ↓
Runs on less money than most
The Yavapai County Free Library District system spends $14 per resident, less than 93% of similar-size libraries (typical: $36). What your card is worth ↓
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; Ash Fork’s library is a branch of Yavapai County Free Library District, so they cover the whole system (251,768 people), not just the Ash Fork branch.
What’s behind Ash Fork’s civic life grade
Ash Fork 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 100,000+ people across the U.S.
Yavapai County Free Library District serves 251,768 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 100,000+.
Every hour the doors are open, about 7 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Yavapai County Free Library District system. The library’s own count.
Books and media off the shelf
183K 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 14 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
Ash Fork Public Library, 450 W Lewis Ave, Ash Fork.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Loans renew on their own if no one’s waiting. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Yavapai County Free Library District branch.
New in Ash Fork? The Handbook →Hours are the survey’s yearly average. Check the library’s own site for today’s hours.
What a library card is worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Ash Fork cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $36. Operating budget $3.5M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $3.2M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $3.5M 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 9,473 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. Ash Fork Public Library is one branch of Yavapai County Free Library District, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 251,768 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 Ash Fork
Does Ash Fork have a public library?
Yes: Ash Fork Public Library, 450 W Lewis Ave, is a branch of Yavapai County Free Library District, which serves 251,768 people. The branch is open about 33 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Yavapai County Free Library District 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 Ash Fork’s library?
It logged 0.5 visits and lent 0.7 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 2.1 visits for libraries serving 100,000+ people.
What is Ash Fork’s civic life grade?
Ash Fork 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 Ash Fork.
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.