Morton Township’s library lends 15 print items per resident, against a typical 3.9 for libraries its size
Morton Public Library District serves 17,117 people in and around Morton Township. Last year it lent 251K print books and media and logged 90K visits.
The short version on Morton Township’s library
Morton Township is a town of borrowers
Morton Public Library District lends 15 print items per resident, against a typical 3.9 for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people, more than 97% of similar-size libraries. Each item on the shelves went out about 3.1 times last year. What people borrow ↓
Programs are almost all for children
86% of the 766 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 7.8 a week for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
Morton Township out-borrows every town next door
At 14.7 loans per resident, Morton Township leads the four towns here. The closest is Morton, at 14.7. Libraries next door ↓
Programs draw a crowd
21,000 people came to the library’s 766 programs last year: 1.2 per resident, against a typical 0.4, more than at 92% of similar-size libraries. 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.
What’s behind Morton Township’s civic life grade
Morton Township 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 →
Books and media off the shelf
251K 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 Morton Township’s library in 2024, so there’s no split between adults’ and kids’ borrowing.
Each of the 82K books and other items on the shelves went out about 3.1 times last year, on average.
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on all 6 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people across the U.S.
Morton Public Library District serves 17,117 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 83 items go out
Fiscal year 2024. The library’s own count.
About 13 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.
Find it
Morton Public Library District, 315 West Pershing Street, Morton.
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 $3.90 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Morton Township cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $1.2M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $4.5M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $1.2M 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 6,951 cardholders ÷ 12.
Libraries next door
Morton Township borrows the most per resident of the 4 towns here. Tap a town to see its library.
| Town | Library | Loans per resident | Hours | Civic life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morton Township | Morton Public Library District | 14.7 | 58 | — graded with its twin city |
| Morton | Morton Public Library District | 14.7 | 58 | B |
| Washington Township | Washington District Library fine-free | 6.6 | 59 | B |
| Groveland Township | Creve Coeur Public Library District | 6.0 | 41 | C |
| Tremont Township | Tremont District Library fine-free | — | 50 | A− |
| Deer Creek Township | Deer Creek District Library | — | 24 | C+ |
Loans = print + digital items borrowed in the library’s fiscal year, per person it serves. — = no library of its own, a county or regional system (its numbers cover many towns), or no report. Civic life: — = not graded (unincorporated places, whose nonprofits can’t be placed by mailing address, or towns with fewer than two of the three inputs).
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.
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 Morton Township
Does Morton Township have a public library?
Yes. Morton Public Library District, 315 West Pershing Street, serves 17,117 people in and around Morton Township (the survey’s count) and is open about 58 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Morton Public Library District fine-free?
It charges late fines on some overdue items (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Morton Township’s library?
It logged 5.3 visits and lent 14.7 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.1 visits for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people.
What is Morton Township’s civic life grade?
Morton Township 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 Morton Township.
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.