Sunburst’s library is a branch of Toole County Library, which lends less per resident than 83% of systems its size
Sunburst’s library is the North Toole County Library, a branch of Toole County Library, which serves 4,971 people and lent 11K items last year.
Sunburst’s library, in brief
Kids’ books are most of what goes out
Children’s books and media make up 99% of print loans. Per resident, kids’ borrowing is lower than at 55% of similar-size libraries. What people borrow ↓
Programs are almost all for children
91% of the 115 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 1.5 a week for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
Open only about 15 hours a week
The Sunburst branch keeps short hours: about 15 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
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; Sunburst’s library is a branch of Toole County Library, so they cover the whole system (4,971 people), not just the Sunburst branch.
What’s behind Sunburst’s civic life grade
Sunburst 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 8 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people across the U.S.
Toole County Library serves 4,971 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 4 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Toole County Library system. The library’s own count.
More than half the print loans are kids’ books
11K loans last year: print, kids’ and digital.
3,742 e-books, e-audiobooks and streams last year. Borrow from home with your card.
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
North Toole County Library, 201 First St. N, Sunburst.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Good at every Toole County Library branch.
New in Sunburst? 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 $1.11 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Sunburst cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $141K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $156K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $141K 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 1,808 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- System-wide. North Toole County Library is one branch of Toole County Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 4,971 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 Sunburst
Does Sunburst have a public library?
Yes: North Toole County Library, 201 First St. N, is a branch of Toole County Library, which serves 4,971 people. The branch is open about 15 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Toole County Library fine-free? Does it lend e-books?
Yes to both: no late fees, and e-books, audiobooks with a card (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Sunburst’s library?
It logged 4.0 visits and lent 2.2 items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3 visits for libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people.
What is Sunburst’s civic life grade?
Sunburst 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 Sunburst.
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.