Bentley has no public library of its own; the nearest is Eckels Memorial Library in Oakland, 12.5 miles away
Bentley doesn’t have a public library of its own. The closest is Eckels Memorial Library in Oakland, 12.5 miles away. Many small-town libraries give cards to neighbors, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead.
–Civic lifeNot graded: fewer than 1,000 residentsGetting a library card from Bentley
The nearest library is 13 miles from Bentley
Bentley has no public library of its own, and the closest, Eckels Memorial Library in Oakland, is 13 miles from the town center. The next nearest is Council Bluffs Public Library, 14 miles away. Nearest libraries ↓
The closest isn’t the one open longest
Eckels Memorial Library is nearest, open about 23 hours a week. Council Bluffs Public Library, 14 miles away, is open about 66 hours a week, so it may be easier to fit in. Nearest libraries ↓
The nearby libraries are all fine-free
None of the four closest libraries charges late fines. Nearest libraries ↓
This summary is written from the numbers on this page. Distances are straight-line from the town center.
What’s behind Bentley’s civic life grade
Bentley 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 →
The closest is 12.5 miles away
Closest first, measured from the center of Bentley. Each one’s hours, and whether it charges late fines.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- The library’s own count. Libraries report their own visits, loans and programs. A library that didn’t respond keeps its address and hours here, with no numbers.
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 Bentley
Does Bentley have a public library?
No. The closest is Eckels Memorial Library in Oakland, 12.5 miles from the town center. Many libraries give cards to people from neighboring towns, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead.
What is Bentley’s civic life grade?
Bentley 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 Bentley.
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.