Photo: David Wilson · CC BY 2.0Kirkwood’s library is a branch of Warren County Public Library District, which lends more per resident than 50% of systems its size
Kirkwood’s library is the Kirkwood Branch Library, a branch of Warren County Public Library District, which serves 16,831 people and lent 66K items last year.
Kirkwood’s library, in brief
Open only about 15 hours a week
The Kirkwood branch keeps short hours: about 15 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
Most programs are for young children
75% of the 244 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including 51 for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
Few residents carry a card
Only 15% of the people the system serves have a library card, against a typical 40% for its size. How it compares ↓
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; Kirkwood’s library is a branch of Warren County Public Library District, so they cover the whole system (16,831 people), not just the Kirkwood branch.
What’s behind Kirkwood’s civic life grade
Kirkwood 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 3 of 6 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people across the U.S.
Warren County Public Library District serves 16,831 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 Warren County Public Library District system. The library’s own count.
Books and media off the shelf
66K 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 Kirkwood’s library in 2024, so there’s no split between adults’ and kids’ borrowing.
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
Kirkwood Branch Library, 134 South Kirk, Kirkwood.
No late fees. Good at every Warren County Public Library District branch.
New in Kirkwood? 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 $1.50 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Kirkwood cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $802K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $1.2M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $802K 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 2,536 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. Kirkwood Branch Library is one branch of Warren County Public Library District, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 16,831 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 Kirkwood
Does Kirkwood have a public library?
Yes: Kirkwood Branch Library, 134 South Kirk, is a branch of Warren County Public Library District, which serves 16,831 people. The branch is open about 15 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Warren County Public Library District fine-free?
Yes, no late fees (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Kirkwood’s library?
It logged 3.4 visits and lent 3.9 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.1 visits for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people.
What is Kirkwood’s civic life grade?
Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood.
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.