Fernwood’s library is a branch of Benewah District, which lends less per resident than 66% of systems its size
Fernwood’s library is the Tri-Community Branch, a branch of Benewah District, which serves 6,666 people and lent 18K items last year.
What Fernwood’s library is like
Few residents carry a card
Only 16% of the people the system serves have a library card, against a typical 42% for its size. How it compares ↓
Most programs are for young children
71% of the 322 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 2.1 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; Fernwood’s library is a branch of Benewah District, so they cover the whole system (6,666 people), not just the Fernwood branch.
What’s behind Fernwood’s civic life grade
Fernwood 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 1 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people across the U.S.
Benewah District serves 6,666 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 6 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Benewah District system. The library’s own count.
Books and media off the shelf
18K print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
About 4 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
Tri-Community Branch, 46 Isaacson, Fernwood.
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 $1.62 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Fernwood cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $253K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $410K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $253K budget.
Late fines apply to some overdue items.
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 1,040 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. Tri-Community Branch is one branch of Benewah District, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 6,666 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 Fernwood
Does Fernwood have a public library?
Yes: Tri-Community Branch, 46 Isaacson, is a branch of Benewah District, which serves 6,666 people. The branch is open about 35 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Benewah District fine-free?
It charges late fines on some overdue items (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Fernwood’s library?
It logged 1.4 visits and lent 2.8 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3 visits for libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people.
What is Fernwood’s civic life grade?
Fernwood 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 Fernwood.
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.