Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0Holy Cross’ library is a branch of Dubuque County Library, which lends less per resident than 57% of systems its size
Holy Cross’s library is the Holy Cross Branch, a branch of Dubuque County Library, which serves 32,079 people and lent 102K items last year.
Holy Cross’s library, in brief
Open only about 20 hours a week
The Holy Cross branch keeps short hours: about 20 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
Most programs are for young children
67% of the 806 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 5 a week for ages 0–5. 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; Holy Cross’s library is a branch of Dubuque County Library, so they cover the whole system (32,079 people), not just the Holy Cross branch.
What’s behind Holy Cross’ civic life grade
Holy Cross 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 2 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people across the U.S.
Dubuque County Library serves 32,079 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 10 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Dubuque County Library system. The library’s own count.
Books and media off the shelf
102K print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
About 10 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
Holy Cross Branch, 938 Church St., Holy Cross.
No late fees. Good at every Dubuque County Library branch.
New in Holy Cross? 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 $1.52 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Holy Cross cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $40. Operating budget $1M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $1.6M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $1M 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 17,114 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. Holy Cross Branch is one branch of Dubuque County Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 32,079 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 Holy Cross
Does Holy Cross have a public library?
Yes: Holy Cross Branch, 938 Church St., is a branch of Dubuque County Library, which serves 32,079 people. The branch is open about 20 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Dubuque County Library fine-free?
Yes, no late fees (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Holy Cross’ library?
It logged 2.3 visits and lent 3.2 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 2.6 visits for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people.
What is Holy Cross’ civic life grade?
Holy Cross 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 Holy Cross.
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.