Photo: Tristangre97 · CC BY-SA 4.0Jefferson’s library is a branch of Chesterfield County Library System, which lends less per resident than 89% of systems its size
Jefferson’s library is the Fannie D. Lowry Memorial Library, a branch of Chesterfield County Library System, which serves 43,273 people and lent 44K items last year.
Jefferson’s library, in brief
The Chesterfield County Library System is used less than most libraries its size
The Chesterfield County Library System records 1.4 visits per resident, against a typical 2.6 for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people. Borrowing is 1 print items per resident, against a typical 3.7. It also spends less than most: $17 per resident, against a typical $40. How it compares ↓
Open only about 18 hours a week
The Jefferson branch keeps short hours: about 18 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
South Carolina pays a big share
20% of the budget comes from the state, and 78% from local taxes. Nationally, most library money is local. What your card is worth ↓
Programs lean toward adults
58% of the 806 programs last year were for adults: classes, talks, clubs and events. 340 were for children. 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; Jefferson’s library is a branch of Chesterfield County Library System, so they cover the whole system (43,273 people), not just the Jefferson branch.
What’s behind Jefferson’s civic life grade
Jefferson 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 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people across the U.S.
Chesterfield County Library System serves 43,273 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 5 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Chesterfield County Library System system. The library’s own count.
Almost half the print loans are kids’ books
44K print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
Borrow from home with your card, plus research databases: courses, journals, genealogy and more.
About 7 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
Fannie D. Lowry Memorial Library, 500 N. Main St., Jefferson.
E-books and audiobooks from home. Loans renew on their own if no one’s waiting. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Chesterfield County Library System branch.
New in Jefferson? 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 $1.01 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Jefferson cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $40. Operating budget $746K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $751K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $746K 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 14,675 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- Digital loans not reported. The library didn’t report e-book loans, so borrowing here is print only.
- System-wide. Fannie D. Lowry Memorial Library is one branch of Chesterfield County Library System, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 43,273 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 Jefferson
Does Jefferson have a public library?
Yes: Fannie D. Lowry Memorial Library, 500 N. Main St., is a branch of Chesterfield County Library System, which serves 43,273 people. The branch is open about 18 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Chesterfield County Library System fine-free? Does it lend e-books?
It charges late fines on some overdue items, and it lends e-books and audiobooks with a card (the library’s 2024 survey report).
How busy is Jefferson’s library?
It logged 1.4 visits and lent 1.0 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 2.6 visits for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people.
What is Jefferson’s civic life grade?
Jefferson 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 Jefferson.
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.