Photo: Carter Pape · CC BY-SA 4.0Castle Valley’s library is a branch of Grand County Public Library, which lends more per resident than 96% of systems its size
Castle Valley’s library is the Grand County Public Library Castle Valley Branch, a branch of Grand County Public Library, which serves 9,706 people and lent 167K items last year.
The short version on Castle Valley’s library
One of the busiest library systems its size
The Grand County Public Library system logs 11 visits per resident, against a typical 3 for libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people, and lends 13 print items per resident against a typical 3.8. On both counts it beats 95% of similar-size libraries across the U.S. How it compares ↓
Open only about 16 hours a week
The Castle Valley branch keeps short hours: about 16 a week, averaged over the year, so check its schedule before you go. The building ↓
Programs are almost all for children
80% of the 599 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 5.3 a week for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
Big on e-books and audiobooks
Digital borrowing runs 4.1 e-items per resident, against a typical 1, higher than at 94% of similar-size libraries. It’s 24% of all loans. What people borrow ↓
Kids’ borrowing is a standout
Children’s books and media are 35% of print loans, and kids’ borrowing per resident is higher than at 90% of similar-size libraries. 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; Castle Valley’s library is a branch of Grand County Public Library, so they cover the whole system (9,706 people), not just the Castle Valley branch.
What’s behind Castle Valley’s civic life grade
Castle Valley 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 →
Every hour the doors are open, about 41 items go out
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Grand County Public Library system. The library’s own count.
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on all 8 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people across the U.S.
Grand County Public Library serves 9,706 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000.
Mostly books and media off the shelf
167K loans last year: print, kids’ and digital.
39,356 e-books, e-audiobooks and streams last year. Borrow from home with your card, plus research databases: courses, journals, genealogy and more.
About 9 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
Grand County Public Library Castle Valley Branch, 975 Castle Valley Dr, Castle Valley.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Loans renew on their own if no one’s waiting. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Grand County Public Library branch.
New in Castle Valley? 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 $2.38 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average Castle Valley cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $1.5M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $3.5M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $1.5M 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 6,973 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- System-wide. Grand County Public Library Castle Valley Branch is one branch of Grand County Public Library, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 9,706 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 Castle Valley
Does Castle Valley have a public library?
Yes: Grand County Public Library Castle Valley Branch, 975 Castle Valley Dr, is a branch of Grand County Public Library, which serves 9,706 people. The branch is open about 16 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Grand County Public Library 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 Castle Valley’s library?
It logged 10.8 visits and lent 17.2 items per resident in 2024, against a typical 3 visits for libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people.
What is Castle Valley’s civic life grade?
Castle Valley 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 Castle Valley.
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.