Photo: Evanoco · CC BY-SA 4.0Olanta’s library is a branch of Florence County Library System, which lends less per resident than 89% of systems its size
Olanta’s library is the Olanta Public Library, a branch of Florence County Library System, which serves 137,059 people and lent 165K items last year.
The short version on Olanta’s library
Programs draw a crowd
89,000 people came to the system’s 2,658 programs last year: 0.7 per resident, against a typical 0.2, more than at 96% of similar-size libraries. Kids & programs ↓
Most programs are for young children
73% of the 2,658 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 14 a week for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
People visit, but borrow less than most
The Florence County Library System lends 1.2 print items per resident, against a typical 3.2 for libraries serving 100,000+ people, fewer than 89% of similar-size libraries, though visits are closer to typical. What people borrow ↓
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; Olanta’s library is a branch of Florence County Library System, so they cover the whole system (137,059 people), not just the Olanta branch.
What’s behind Olanta’s civic life grade
Olanta 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 37 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 4 of 7 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 100,000+ people across the U.S.
Florence County Library System serves 137,059 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 100,000+.
Every hour the doors are open, about 11 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Florence County Library System system. The library’s own count.
More than half the print loans are kids’ books
165K 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.
Find it
Olanta Public Library, 210 East Hampton Street, Olanta.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Florence County Library System branch.
New in Olanta? The Handbook →Hours are the survey’s yearly average. Check the library’s own site for today’s hours.
What a library card is worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Olanta cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $36. Operating budget $5M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $3.6M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $5M 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 70,713 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. Olanta Public Library is one branch of Florence County Library System, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 137,059 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 Olanta
Does Olanta have a public library?
Yes: Olanta Public Library, 210 East Hampton Street, is a branch of Florence County Library System, which serves 137,059 people. The branch is open about 42 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Florence County Library System 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 Olanta’s library?
It logged 1.5 visits and lent 1.2 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 2.1 visits for libraries serving 100,000+ people.
What is Olanta’s civic life grade?
Olanta 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 Olanta.
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.