Photo: Public domain · Public domainGrand Lake’s library is a branch of Grand County Library District, which lends more per resident than 75% of systems its size
Grand Lake’s library is the Juniper Library, a branch of Grand County Library District, which serves 15,971 people and lent 173K items last year.
The short version on Grand Lake’s library
Four times the programs of a typical library its size
The Grand County Library District system ran 1,580 programs last year, about 30 a week. That’s 99 per 1,000 residents, against a typical 24. People show up: 17,000 attended. Kids & programs ↓
Visits are the system’s strong suit
The Grand County Library District system logs 9.2 visits per resident, against a typical 3.1 for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people, more than 96% of similar-size libraries. Borrowing is above typical too, at 6.4 print items per resident. How it compares ↓
40% of borrowing happens on a screen
E-books, e-audiobooks and streaming make up 40% of loans, more per resident than at 95% of similar-size libraries. Print still makes up 60%, much of it kids’ books. What people borrow ↓
A well-funded system
The Grand County Library District system spends $182 per resident a year, about four times the typical $43 for a library its size. Almost all of it (93%) comes from local taxes. 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; Grand Lake’s library is a branch of Grand County Library District, so they cover the whole system (15,971 people), not just the Grand Lake branch.
What’s behind Grand Lake’s civic life grade
Grand Lake 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 →
About 12 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.
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on all 8 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people across the U.S.
Grand County Library District serves 15,971 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 19 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Grand County Library District system. The library’s own count.
40% of borrowing is digital
173K loans last year: print, kids’ and digital.
69,843 e-books, e-audiobooks and streams last year. Borrow from home with your card, plus research databases: courses, journals, genealogy and more.
Find it
Juniper Library, 316 Garfield, Grand Lake.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Grand County Library District branch.
New in Grand Lake? 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 Grand Lake cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $2.9M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $2.8M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $2.9M 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 10,497 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- System-wide. Juniper Library is one branch of Grand County Library District, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 15,971 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 Grand Lake
Does Grand Lake have a public library?
Yes: Juniper Library, 316 Garfield, is a branch of Grand County Library District, which serves 15,971 people. The branch is open about 35 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Grand County 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 Grand Lake’s library?
It logged 9.2 visits and lent 10.8 items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.1 visits for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people.
What is Grand Lake’s civic life grade?
Grand Lake 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 Grand Lake.
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.