If you would like a printed booklet of this information please email lrs@lrs.org. Read a text-only summary.
Discover your public library’s potential…
- In Colorado there are 270 public library locations. That is more public libraries than King Soopers, City Market, and Safeway grocery stores combined!
- Together the libraries have over 10 million physical books in their collections. That’s more than 250 times the movie and TV show titles on Netflix, Prime Video, Max, Disney+ and Hulu combined.
- Colorado public libraries provide many services beyond their collections. In 2024, more than 105,000 programs were offered for children, teens, and adults.
- A total of 63,486 items are available in libraries of things across Colorado. A “library of things” can include outdoor games, tools and equipment, household items, technology and gadgets.
- All of these materials and services resulted in more than 21 million visits to public libraries in 2024. That’s around 4 times the number of visitors to Colorado’s four national parks!
- Programs had an attendance of 2.3 million. If each attendee had bought a movie ticket instead, they would have collectively paid $40 million.
- Library users asked more than 2.6 million reference questions and checkouts of all types of materials totaled more than 64 million.
- 4,004 library staff make all of this possible. 58% of libraries have fewer than 10 staff members.
- But libraries don’t work by themselves. 95% of Colorado libraries reported partnering with groups or organizations to better serve their communities.
- Public libraries circulated backpacks containing free state park passes and exploration kits 7,337 times in 2024 through a partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
- Libraries are evolving to increase access. Colorado libraries provide access to millions of e-books, e-audiobooks, streamable songs, movies and TV shows.
- In 2024, 96% of libraries provided one-on-one help with technology and library visitors used internet computers 2.7 million times.
- Over half of Colorado public libraries provided automatic renewals in 2024 and 86% did not charge fees or fines for late items.
Keep exploring your Colorado public library’s potential at these websites:
- Colorado State Library
- Library Research Service
- Colorado Virtual Library
- Libraries Learn
- Library Jobline
- Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Data and Resources for the 2023 Quotable Facts
Library Locations
PLAR 2024 data – Total Central and Branches: 270
- 120 King Soopers (King Soopers Website “Grocery Stores in Colorado”)
- 33 City Market grocery stores (ScrapeHero data “Number of City Market stores in the United States in 2023”)
- 103 Safeways (ScrapeHero data “Number of Safeway Inc stores in the United States in 2023”)
Physical items available for checkout
PLAR 2024 data – Total number of physical print volumes: 10,183,012
- Numbers found on JustWatch as of 5/13/2025
Programs offered
PLAR 2024 data – Total Number of Live Program Sessions: 105,908
Library of Things collection items
PLAR 2024 data – Number of other physical items: 63,486
Number of annual visits
PLAR 2024 data – Annual Visits: 21,470,389
- Visitors to all four national parks in Colorado: around 5.3 million (The Denver Gazette article “National parks log record visitation amid cuts; some increases around Colorado, too”)
Program attendance
PLAR 2024 data – Total Attendance at Onsite Programs: 2,319,698
- Average cost of movie in Colorado: $17.57 (“How Much Does a Movie Ticket Cost in 2025? State-by-State Prices and Date Night Totals” by CableTV)
Reference questions
PLAR 2024 data – Annual Reference Transactions: 2,648,587
Items circulated annually
PLAR 2024 data – Total Circulation: 61,171,039
Staff
PLAR 2024 data – Total Paid Employees: 4,004
- 65 of 112 reporting libraries had less than 10 staff members
Libraries that partner
PLAR 2024 data – Did your library partner with one or more organizations or groups in order to better serve your community?: 95%
- 100 of 105 reporting libraries answered “yes”.
State park passes checkouts per week
PLAR 2024 data – Circulation of Check Out Colorado State Parks Passes: 7,337
One-on-one technology help
PLAR 2024 data – Do you provide 1:1 technology help to the public?: 96%
- 106 of 110 reporting libraries responded “yes”.
Internet computer usage
PLAR 2024 data – Number of uses (sessions) of public internet computers per year: 2,777,630
Automatic Renewals
PLAR 2024 data – Do you have automatic renewals?: 59%
- 65 of 110 responding libraries answered “Yes”.
Overdue fines
PLAR 2024 data – Overdue fines charged for overdue physical materials?: 86% (no)
- 96 of 111 responding libraries answered “No”.