Garrison’s library runs 226 programs per 1,000 residents, against a typical 60 for libraries its size
Garrison Public Library serves Garrison’s 473 residents. Last year it lent 489 print books and media and logged 1,802 visits.
The short version on Garrison’s library
Four times the programs of a typical library its size
Garrison Public Library ran 107 programs last year, about 2 a week. That’s 226 per 1,000 residents, against a typical 60. Kids & programs ↓
A small-town library
Garrison Public Library serves 473 residents with about one full-time staff. It’s compared only with libraries serving under 2,500 people, because per-person numbers always look big in a small town. A year at the library ↓
Open only about 21 hours a week
Garrison Public Library keeps short hours: about 21 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
People visit, but borrow less than most
Garrison Public Library lends 1 print items per resident, against a typical 3.9 for libraries serving under 2,500 people, fewer than 90% of similar-size libraries, though visits are closer to typical. What people borrow ↓
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; in a town this small, one busy program or a few avid readers move the per-resident numbers.
What’s behind Garrison’s civic life grade
Garrison 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 1 kids’ program a week
Story times, clubs, classes and events, by who they’re for.
Programs last year by age group
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on 3 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving under 2,500 people across the U.S.
Garrison Public Library serves 473 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving under 2,500.
A year at Garrison Public Library
Fiscal year 2024. The library’s own count.
More than half the print loans are kids’ books
489 print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
Each of the 7,473 books and other items on the shelves went out about 0.1 time last year, on average.
Find it
Garrison Public Library, 201 E Pine St., Garrison.
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 Garrison cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $54. Operating budget $24K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $17K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $24K 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 244 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.
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 Garrison
Does Garrison have a public library?
Yes. Garrison Public Library, 201 E Pine St., serves Garrison’s 473 residents (the survey’s count) and is open about 21 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Garrison Public Library fine-free?
Yes, no late fees (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Garrison’s library?
It logged 3.8 visits and lent 1.0 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.5 visits for libraries serving under 2,500 people.
What is Garrison’s civic life grade?
Garrison 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 Garrison.
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.