Photo: Publichall · Public domainPrescott’s library is a branch of Walla Walla County Rural Library District, which lends less per resident than 91% of systems its size
Prescott’s library is the Prescott Library, a branch of Walla Walla County Rural Library District, which serves 27,610 people and lent 66K items last year.
The short version on Prescott’s library
The Walla Walla County Rural Library District system is used less than most libraries its size
The Walla Walla County Rural Library District system records 0.9 visits per resident, against a typical 2.6 for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people. Borrowing is 0.9 print items per resident, against a typical 3.7. How it compares ↓
Well funded, but lightly used
The Walla Walla County Rural Library District system spends $74 per resident, more than 81% of similar-size libraries. Use doesn’t match: visits per resident are lower than at 92% of them. What your card is worth ↓
Most of the system’s borrowing is digital
E-books, e-audiobooks and streaming make up 62% of loans. Print still makes up 38%. What people borrow ↓
Few residents carry a card
Only 17% of the people the system serves have a library card, against a typical 39% for its size. How it compares ↓
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; Prescott’s library is a branch of Walla Walla County Rural Library District, so they cover the whole system (27,610 people), not just the Prescott branch.
What’s behind Prescott’s civic life grade
Prescott 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 →
62% of borrowing is digital
66K loans last year: print, kids’ and digital.
40,879 e-books, e-audiobooks and streams last year. Borrow from home with your card, plus research databases: courses, journals, genealogy and more.
Ahead of most similar-size libraries on 3 of 8 measures
Per resident, against libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people across the U.S.
Walla Walla County Rural Library District serves 27,610 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000.
A year at Walla Walla County Rural Library District
Fiscal year 2024, for the whole Walla Walla County Rural Library District system. The library’s own count.
About 5 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
Prescott Library, 103 D St., Prescott.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy. Good at every Walla Walla County Rural Library District branch.
New in Prescott? 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 Prescott cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $40. Operating budget $2M.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $1.2M worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $2M 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 4,815 cardholders ÷ 12.
What this data can and can’t tell you
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- System-wide. Prescott Library is one branch of Walla Walla County Rural Library District, so the yearly numbers cover every branch and all 27,610 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 Prescott
Does Prescott have a public library?
Yes: Prescott Library, 103 D St., is a branch of Walla Walla County Rural Library District, which serves 27,610 people. The branch is open about 34 hours a week, averaged over the year.
Is Walla Walla County Rural Library District 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 Prescott’s library?
It logged 0.9 visits and lent 2.4 items per resident in 2024, against a typical 2.6 visits for libraries serving 25,000 to 100,000 people.
What is Prescott’s civic life grade?
Prescott 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 Prescott.
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.