Little Rock’s library runs 326 programs per 1,000 residents, against a typical 60 for libraries its size
Little Rock Public Library serves Little Rock’s 540 residents. Last year it lent 4,202 print books and media and logged 4,326 visits.
Little Rock’s library, in brief
More library cards than residents
1,039 cards for 540 people. Cards held by people from outside the service area count too, so the total can pass the population. At the typical library serving under 2,500 people, it’s 54%. How it compares ↓
Five times the programs of a typical library its size
Little Rock Public Library ran 176 programs last year, about 3 a week. That’s 326 per 1,000 residents, against a typical 60. People show up: 4,362 attended. Kids & programs ↓
More than half the print loans are for kids
Children’s books and media are 62% of print loans, and kids’ borrowing per resident is higher than at 88% of similar-size libraries. Kids & programs ↓
A small-town library
Little Rock Public Library serves 540 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 20 hours a week
Little Rock Public Library keeps short hours: about 20 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
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 Little Rock’s civic life grade
Little Rock 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 2 kids’ programs a week
Story times, clubs, classes and events, 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 6 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving under 2,500 people across the U.S.
Little Rock Public Library serves 540 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving under 2,500.
Every hour the doors are open, about 4 items go out
Fiscal year 2024. The library’s own count.
More than half the print loans are kids’ books
4,202 print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
Each of the 12K books and other items on the shelves went out about 0.4 time last year, on average.
Find it
Little Rock Public Library, 402 Main St., Little Rock.
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 $3.62 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Little Rock cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $54. Operating budget $28K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $102K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $28K 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 1,039 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 Little Rock
Does Little Rock have a public library?
Yes. Little Rock Public Library, 402 Main St., serves Little Rock’s 540 residents (the survey’s count) and is open about 20 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Little Rock Public Library fine-free?
Yes, no late fees (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Little Rock’s library?
It logged 8.0 visits and lent 7.8 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.5 visits for libraries serving under 2,500 people.
What is Little Rock’s civic life grade?
Little Rock 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 Little Rock.
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.