Benson’s library is a branch of Illinois Prairie District Public Library, which lends more per resident than 54% of systems its size
Benson’s library is the Benson Branch Library, a branch of Illinois Prairie District Public Library, which serves 21,904 people and lent 94K items last year.
The short version on Benson’s library
Open only about 9 hours a week
The Benson branch keeps short hours: about 9 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
Most programs are for young children
66% of the 723 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 6 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; Benson’s library is a branch of Illinois Prairie District Public Library, so they cover the whole system (21,904 people), not just the Benson branch.
What’s behind Benson’s civic life grade
Benson 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 4 of 6 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people across the U.S.
Illinois Prairie District Public Library serves 21,904 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 13 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Illinois Prairie District Public Library system. The library’s own count.
Books and media off the shelf
94K print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
The survey has no count of children’s loans for Benson’s library in 2024, so there’s no split between adults’ and kids’ borrowing.
About 9 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
Benson Branch Library, 420 East Front Street, Benson.
No late fees. Good at every Illinois Prairie District Public Library branch.
New in Benson? 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 $1.62 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Benson cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $1M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $1.7M 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 6,565 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- Digital loans not reported. Illinois libraries often don’t report e-book loans, so borrowing here is print only.
- System-wide. Benson Branch Library is one branch of Illinois Prairie District Public Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 21,904 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 Benson
Does Benson have a public library?
Yes: Benson Branch Library, 420 East Front Street, is a branch of Illinois Prairie District Public Library, which serves 21,904 people. The branch is open about 9 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Illinois Prairie District Public Library fine-free?
Yes, no late fees (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Benson’s library?
It logged 3.1 visits and lent 4.3 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.1 visits for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people.
What is Benson’s civic life grade?
Benson 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 Benson.
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.