Photo: Redjockey · CC BY 3.0Parsippany has no public library of its own; the nearest is Lake Hiawatha Branch in Lake Hiawatha, 2 miles away
Parsippany doesn’t have a public library of its own. The closest is Lake Hiawatha Branch in Lake Hiawatha, 2 miles away. Many small-town libraries give cards to neighbors, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead.
–Civic lifeNot graded: fewer than 1,000 residentsLibraries for Parsippany, in brief
Parsippany borrows from the libraries next door
Parsippany has no public library of its own, but four libraries are within 10 miles, the closest being Lake Hiawatha Branch in Lake Hiawatha (2 miles). Many small-town libraries give cards to people from neighboring towns, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead. Nearest libraries ↓
Parsippany isn’t the only town nearby without one
Troy Hills and Rainbow Lakes don’t have a public library of their own either. Among the towns next door, Lake Hiawatha (Lake Hiawatha Branch), Parsippany-Troy Hills Township (Parsippany-Troy Hills P.L.) and Mountain Lakes (Mountain Lakes Free Public Library) do. Libraries next door ↓
Most nearby libraries are fine-free
Three of the four closest libraries don’t charge late fines. Nearest libraries ↓
This summary is written from the numbers on this page. Distances are straight-line from the town center.
What’s behind Parsippany’s civic life grade
Parsippany 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 →
The closest is 2 miles away
Closest first, measured from the center of Parsippany. Each one’s hours, and whether it charges late fines.
Libraries next door
Who has a library of their own, and how much each town borrows. Tap a town to see its library.
| Town | Library | Loans per resident | Hours | Civic life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Lakes | Mountain Lakes Free Public Library fine-free | 11.9 | 53 | A |
| Lake Hiawatha | Lake Hiawatha Branch fine-free | 7.2 | 58 | — graded as part of its town |
| Parsippany-Troy Hills Township | Parsippany-Troy Hills P.L. fine-free | 7.2 | 66 | C+ |
| Troy Hills | None of its own | — | — | — graded as part of its town |
| Rainbow Lakes | None of its own | — | — | — graded as part of its town |
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.
- The library’s own count. Libraries report their own visits, loans and programs. A library that didn’t respond keeps its address and hours here, with no numbers.
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 Parsippany
Does Parsippany have a public library?
No. The closest is Lake Hiawatha Branch in Lake Hiawatha, 2 miles from the town center. Many libraries give cards to people from neighboring towns, sometimes for a yearly fee, so call ahead.
What is Parsippany’s civic life grade?
Parsippany 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 Parsippany.
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.