Photo: Walter Curran Mendenhall · Public domainGrandfalls’ library is a branch of Ward County Library, which lends less per resident than 90% of systems its size
Grandfalls’s library is the Grandfalls Library, a branch of Ward County Library, which serves 10,966 people and lent 12K items last year.
What Grandfalls’s library is like
The Ward County Library system is used less than most libraries its size
The Ward County Library system records 1.1 visits per resident, against a typical 3.1 for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people. Borrowing is 1.1 print items per resident, against a typical 3.9. How it compares ↓
Few programs for a library this size
The Ward County Library system offered 84 programs last year, 7.7 per 1,000 residents against a typical 24. 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; Grandfalls’s library is a branch of Ward County Library, so they cover the whole system (10,966 people), not just the Grandfalls branch.
What’s behind Grandfalls’ civic life grade
Grandfalls 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 10,000 to 25,000 people across the U.S.
Ward County Library serves 10,966 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000.
Every hour the doors are open, about 2 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Ward County Library system. The library’s own count.
Almost half the print loans are kids’ books
12K 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 1 kids’ program 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
Grandfalls Library, 209 Ave D, Grandfalls.
E-books and audiobooks from home. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Ward County Library branch.
New in Grandfalls? 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 Grandfalls cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $401K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $183K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $401K 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 5,083 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. Grandfalls Library is one branch of Ward County Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 10,966 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 Grandfalls
Does Grandfalls have a public library?
Yes: Grandfalls Library, 209 Ave D, is a branch of Ward County Library, which serves 10,966 people. The branch is open about 40 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Ward County Library 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 Grandfalls’ library?
It logged 1.1 visits and lent 1.1 print items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3.1 visits for libraries serving 10,000 to 25,000 people.
What is Grandfalls’ civic life grade?
Grandfalls 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 Grandfalls.
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.