Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Van Buren’s library is a branch of Carter County Library, which lends more per resident than 68% of systems its size
Van Buren’s library is the Carter County Public Library, a branch of Carter County Library, which serves 5,202 people and lent 34K items last year.
Van Buren’s library, in brief
Busy on a lean budget
The Carter County Library system spends $27 per resident, less than 75% of similar-size libraries (typical: $43). It’s still busier than 70% of them. What your card is worth ↓
Most programs are for young children
77% of the 160 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including 38 for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
Federal money pays a real share
16% of the budget comes from federal grants, and 78% from local taxes. Nationally, most library money is local. What your card is worth ↓
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; Van Buren’s library is a branch of Carter County Library, so they cover the whole system (5,202 people), not just the Van Buren branch.
What’s behind Van Buren’s civic life grade
Van Buren 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 8 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people across the U.S.
Carter County Library serves 5,202 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 9 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Carter County Library system. The library’s own count.
Mostly books and media off the shelf
34K loans last year: print, kids’ and digital.
5,759 e-books, e-audiobooks and streams last year. Borrow from home with your card, plus research databases: courses, journals, genealogy and more.
About 2 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
Carter County Public Library, 403 Ash St., Van Buren.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Carter County Library branch.
New in Van Buren? 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 $4.22 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Van Buren cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $138K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $584K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $138K 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 4,200 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- System-wide. Carter County Public Library is one branch of Carter County Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 5,202 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 Van Buren
Does Van Buren have a public library?
Yes: Carter County Public Library, 403 Ash St., is a branch of Carter County Library, which serves 5,202 people. The branch is open about 35 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Carter County Library fine-free? Does it lend e-books?
Yes to both: no late fees, and e-books, audiobooks and research databases with a card (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Van Buren’s library?
It logged 4.7 visits and lent 6.5 items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3 visits for libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people.
What is Van Buren’s civic life grade?
Van Buren 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 Van Buren.
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.