Photo: QuintinK · CC BY-SA 4.0Monroe’s library is a branch of Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, which lends more per resident than 95% of systems its size
Monroe’s library is the Monroe Community Library, a branch of Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, which serves 89,514 people and lent 1.2M items last year.
Monroe’s library, in brief
A system of heavy borrowers
The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library system lends 13 print items per resident, against a typical 3.7 for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people, more than 95% of similar-size libraries. What people borrow ↓
Kids’ borrowing is a standout
Children’s books and media are 46% of print loans, and kids’ borrowing per resident is higher than at 94% of similar-size libraries. Kids & programs ↓
A well-funded system
The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library system spends $97 per resident a year, about twice the typical $40 for a library its size. Almost all of it (97%) comes from local taxes. 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; Monroe’s library is a branch of Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, so they cover the whole system (89,514 people), not just the Monroe branch.
What’s behind Monroe’s civic life grade
Monroe 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 →
About 11 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.
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on 6 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people across the U.S.
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library serves 89,514 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000.
A year at Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Corvallis-Benton County Public Library system. The library’s own count.
Not reported for 2024: hours open. The survey fills a missing figure with its own estimate; we leave estimates out rather than show them as the library’s count.
Almost half the print loans are kids’ books
1.2M print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
Find it
Monroe Community Library, 380 North 5th Street, Monroe.
No late fees. Loans renew on their own if no one’s waiting. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Corvallis-Benton County Public Library branch.
New in Monroe? 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 $2.19 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Monroe cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $40. Operating budget $8.6M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $19M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $8.6M 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 40,279 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- Not reported for 2024: hours open. The survey filled the figure with its own estimate, so it is left out.
- Digital loans not reported. The library didn’t report e-book loans, so borrowing here is print only.
- System-wide. Monroe Community Library is one branch of Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 89,514 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 Monroe
Does Monroe have a public library?
Yes: Monroe Community Library, 380 North 5th Street, is a branch of Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, which serves 89,514 people.
Is Corvallis-Benton County Public Library fine-free?
Yes, no late fees (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Monroe’s library?
It logged 4.5 visits and lent 13.3 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 2.6 visits for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people.
What is Monroe’s civic life grade?
Monroe 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 Monroe.
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.