This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(June 2022)
The size of libraries in the United States is determined by a number of metrics, including number of holdings (in terms of volumes or titles held), by circulation (i.e., library materials checked out or renewed); or by number of library visits.[1]
The largest public library in the United States and the second largest library in the world is the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., which is the de facto national library of the United States.[2] It holds more than 167 million items, including "more than 39 million books and other printed materials, 3.6 million recordings, 14.8 million photographs, 5.5 million maps, 8.1 million pieces of sheet music and 72 million manuscripts."[3] The largest research library in the United States is the Harvard Library in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Comparing the size of public libraries with research libraries (such as academic libraries) is complicated by the different definition of holdings or volumes used. The Association of Research Libraries uses the National Information Standards Organization definition of volume, which is "A single physical unit of any printed, typewritten, handwritten, mimeographed, or processed work, distinguished from other units by a separate binding, encasement, portfolio, or other clear distinction, which has been cataloged, classified, and made ready for use, and which is typically the unit used to charge circulation transactions."[4] In contrast, the Public Library Data Service Statistical Report (a publication of the Public Library Association, which is a division of the American Library Association) defines holdings as "the number of cataloged items (number of items, number of titles) plus paperbacks and videocassettes even if uncataloged."[4]
Largest public libraries systems by total collectionsedit
The American Library Association has published data on the size of 25 largest public libraries in the United States. These data are from the Institute of Museum and Library Services's Public Libraries Survey (PLS) for fiscal year 2016. The largest public libraries in the U.S. are far larger than the median public library in the country; almost four-fifths of U.S. public libraries serve areas with populations of fewer than 25,000.[1]
"Total collection" consists of print material, electronic books, audio materials, and video materials, each of which is a particular "data element" defined in the PLS. Print materials include printed books, serial music, and maps, including duplicates; electronic books include digital documents include e-books and digitized documents, including duplicates; "audio materials" include both physical audio files (such as cassette tapes, audioreels, CD-ROMs, and talking books) and downloadable units; and "video materials" similarly includes both physical video materials (such as videotape and DVD) and downloadable video files.[5]
The following volume figures for the largest 20 U.S. and Canada research libraries by volume were reported in ARL Statistics, 2020, published in 2022. Some ARL member libraries include the holdings of law libraries, medical libraries, and branch campuses in their reported statistics; others do not.[6]
25 largest research libraries by volumes heldedit
The following are the 25 ARL members with the largest number of volumes held. ARL uses the ANSI/NISO Z39.7-2004 definition of "volume": "a single physical unit of any printed, typewritten, handwritten, mimeographed, or processed work, distinguished from other units by a separate binding, encasement, portfolio, or other clear distinction, which has been catalogued, classified, and made ready for use."[7] Microform, maps, and "electronic serials and other virtual serial volumes" are excluded from the volume count.[8]
The following are the 25 ARL members with the largest number of titles held, "including catalogued, locally digitized, and licensed" titles.[9] ARL follows the ANSI/NISO Z39.7-2004 definition of "title": "The designation of a separate bibliographic whole, whether issued in one or several volumes...Titles are defined according to the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules. A book or serial title may be distinguished from other titles by its unique International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)."[10] Multiple copies of the same work (for example, subscriptions to the same publication) are counted as a single title, but a serial title available in multiple formats (for example, print and online) are counted once for each available format.[11]
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This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information June 2022 The size of libraries in the United States is determined by a number of metrics including number of holdings in terms of volumes or titles held by circulation i e library materials checked out or renewed or by number of library visits 1 The Library of Congress is the largest library in the United States Above the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building The largest public library in the United States and the second largest library in the world is the Library of Congress in Washington D C which is the de facto national library of the United States 2 It holds more than 167 million items including more than 39 million books and other printed materials 3 6 million recordings 14 8 million photographs 5 5 million maps 8 1 million pieces of sheet music and 72 million manuscripts 3 The largest research library in the United States is the Harvard Library in Cambridge Massachusetts Comparing the size of public libraries with research libraries such as academic libraries is complicated by the different definition of holdings or volumes used The Association of Research Libraries uses the National Information Standards Organization definition of volume which is A single physical unit of any printed typewritten handwritten mimeographed or processed work distinguished from other units by a separate binding encasement portfolio or other clear distinction which has been cataloged classified and made ready for use and which is typically the unit used to charge circulation transactions 4 In contrast the Public Library Data Service Statistical Report a publication of the Public Library Association which is a division of the American Library Association defines holdings as the number of cataloged items number of items number of titles plus paperbacks and videocassettes even if uncataloged 4 Contents 1 Largest public libraries systems by total collections 2 Largest research libraries 2 1 25 largest research libraries by volumes held 2 2 25 largest research libraries by titles held 3 See also 4 Footnotes 5 ReferencesLargest public libraries systems by total collections editThe American Library Association has published data on the size of 25 largest public libraries in the United States These data are from the Institute of Museum and Library Services s Public Libraries Survey PLS for fiscal year 2016 The largest public libraries in the U S are far larger than the median public library in the country almost four fifths of U S public libraries serve areas with populations of fewer than 25 000 1 Total collection consists of print material electronic books audio materials and video materials each of which is a particular data element defined in the PLS Print materials include printed books serial music and maps including duplicates electronic books include digital documents include e books and digitized documents including duplicates audio materials include both physical audio files such as cassette tapes audioreels CD ROMs and talking books and downloadable units and video materials similarly includes both physical video materials such as videotape and DVD and downloadable video files 5 Rank Library Area served Total collection FY 2016 1 New York Public Library Manhattan the Bronx and Staten Island New York 25 271 223 2 Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library Hamilton County Ohio 11 721 430 3 Boston Public Library Boston Massachusetts 8 197 010 4 Mid Continent Public Library Jackson County Missouri Clay County Missouri Platte County Missouri 8 970 728 4 Los Angeles Public Library Los Angeles California 6 735 561 5 Chicago Public Library Chicago Illinois 5 949 251 6 County of Los Angeles Public Library Los Angeles County California 5 779 843 7 Queens Borough Public Library Queens New York 5 670 563 8 San Diego Public Library San Diego California 5 272 779 9 Dallas Public Library Dallas Texas 5 155 647 10 Hennepin County Library Hennepin County Minnesota 4 895 312 11 Dayton Metro Library Dayton Ohio 4 719 674 12 Detroit Public Library Detroit Michigan 4 394 193 13 King County Library System King County Washington 3 967 872 14 Cleveland Public Library Cleveland Ohio 3 946 416 15 Cuyahoga County Public Library Cuyahoga County Ohio 3 661 264 16 Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn New York 3 660 532 17 Miami Dade Public Library System Miami Dade County Florida 3 626 153 18 Allen County Public Library Allen County Indiana 2 450 882 19 Hawaii State Public Library System Hawaii 3 403 577 20 City of St Louis Municipal Library District St Louis Missouri 3 281 380 21 Broward County Libraries Division Broward County Florida 3 194 345 22 San Francisco Public Library City and County of San Francisco California 3 122 259 23 Houston Public Library Houston Texas 3 084 633 24 Las Vegas Clark County Library District Clark County Nevada 3 041 019 25 Atlanta Fulton Public Library System Atlanta Georgia 2 951 414Largest research libraries editThe Association of Research Libraries ARL a consortium of U S and Canada research libraries reports statistical data on its 124 members of which 114 are academic libraries within universities and 10 are non academic research libraries The ten non university institutions in the ARL are the Boston Public Library National Research Council Canada National Science Library Center for Research Libraries Library of Congress National Agricultural Library National Archives National Library of Medicine New York Public Library New York State Library and Smithsonian Libraries The following volume figures for the largest 20 U S and Canada research libraries by volume were reported in ARL Statistics 2020 published in 2022 Some ARL member libraries include the holdings of law libraries medical libraries and branch campuses in their reported statistics others do not 6 25 largest research libraries by volumes held edit The following are the 25 ARL members with the largest number of volumes held ARL uses the ANSI NISO Z39 7 2004 definition of volume a single physical unit of any printed typewritten handwritten mimeographed or processed work distinguished from other units by a separate binding encasement portfolio or other clear distinction which has been catalogued classified and made ready for use 7 Microform maps and electronic serials and other virtual serial volumes are excluded from the volume count 8 Rank Library Institution Volumes 2020 6 45 1 Harvard Library Harvard University 19 608 349 2 University of Michigan Library University of Michigan 16 025 996 3 Yale University Library Yale University 15 421 200 4 University of Illinois Urbana Champaign University Library University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 15 385 227 5 Columbia University Libraries Columbia University 15 029 945 a 1 6 University of California Berkeley Libraries University of California Berkeley 13 890 919 1 7 University of Chicago Library University of Chicago 12 458 055 8 University of Wisconsin Madison University of Wisconsin System 11 995 591 9 University of California Los Angeles Library University of California Los Angeles 11 421 038 https libraries universityofcalifornia edu wp content uploads 2022 12 Library Statistics 21 22 v3 pdf 10 Indiana University Libraries Indiana University 11 260 449 11 Princeton University Library Princeton University 10 510 491 12 University of Texas Libraries University of Texas at Austin 10 102 977 13 Cornell University Library Cornell University 10 075 313 14 Ohio State University Libraries Ohio State University 9 842 514 15 University of Iowa Libraries University of Iowa 9 827 159 16 University of Washington Libraries University of Washington 9 772 809 17 UNC Chapel Hill Libraries University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 9 555 566 18 Pennsylvania State University Libraries Pennsylvania State University 9 481 893 19 Duke University Libraries Duke University 9 046 010 20 New York University Libraries New York University 8 935 822 21 Penn Libraries University of Pennsylvania 8 880 872 22 Northwestern University Library Northwestern University 8 449 608 23 University of Colorado Boulder University Libraries University of Colorado Boulder 8 337 273 24 Oklahoma State University Libraries Oklahoma State University System 8 012 463 25 Michigan State University Libraries Michigan State University 7 898 847 25 largest research libraries by titles held edit The following are the 25 ARL members with the largest number of titles held including catalogued locally digitized and licensed titles 9 ARL follows the ANSI NISO Z39 7 2004 definition of title The designation of a separate bibliographic whole whether issued in one or several volumes Titles are defined according to the Anglo American Cataloging Rules A book or serial title may be distinguished from other titles by its unique International Standard Book Number ISBN or International Standard Serial Number ISSN 10 Multiple copies of the same work for example subscriptions to the same publication are counted as a single title but a serial title available in multiple formats for example print and online are counted once for each available format 11 Rank Library Institution Titles Held 2020 6 46 1 Harvard Library Harvard University 18 711 275 2 University of California Los Angeles Library University of California Los Angeles 17 679 327 3 Yale University Library Yale University 12 826 347 4 Columbia University Libraries Columbia University 10 814 827 a 1 5 University of Michigan Library University of Michigan 10 692 811 6 University of California Berkeley Libraries University of California Berkeley 9 816 654 7 University of Illinois Urbana Champaign University Library University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 9 546 739 8 University of Wisconsin Madison University of Wisconsin 9 211 820 9 Princeton University Library Princeton University 9 163 538 10 Indiana University Libraries Indiana University 8 995 411 11 Michigan State University Libraries Michigan State University 8 855 996 12 New York University Libraries New York University 8 544 313 13 Cornell University Library Cornell University 8 364 927 14 Northwestern University Library Northwestern University 8 198 268 15 Pennsylvania State University Libraries Pennsylvania State University 8 191 408 16 University of Texas Libraries University of Texas at Austin 8 152 478 17 University of Chicago Library University of Chicago 8 151 994 18 Penn Libraries University of Pennsylvania 7 464 058 19 Duke University Libraries Duke University 7 106 275 20 University of Colorado Boulder University Libraries University of Colorado Boulder 7 086 420 21 Duke University Libraries Duke University 7 037 558 22 Ohio State University Libraries Ohio State University 6 855 146 23 University of Virginia Library University of Virginia 6 854 203 24 University of Washington Libraries University of Washington 6 831 932 25 Louisiana State University Libraries Louisiana State University 6 457 134See also editBooks in the United States List of largest libraries University libraries in the United StatesFootnotes edit a b Columbia University Libraries is closely affiliated with the Jewish Theological Seminary Library whose collection consists of over 400 000 volumes but in not included in the ARL count References edit a b The Nation s Largest Public Libraries Home American Library Association last accessed December 24 2018 James H Billington Library of Congress Encyclopedia Britannica Fascinating Facts Library of Congress last accessed December 24 2018 a b The Nation s Largest Libraries A Listing By Volumes Held ALA Library Fact Sheet Number 22 American Library Association October 2012 State Characteristics Data Element Definitions Institute of Museum and Library Services FY 2016 a b c Mian Anam Roebuck Gary 2020 ARL Statistics 2020 Washington DC Association of Research Libraries Morris amp Roebuck 2018 p 61 Morris amp Roebuck 2018 p 61 Morris amp Roebuck 2018 p 60 Morris amp Roebuck 2018 p 60 Morris amp Roebuck 2018 p 60 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of largest libraries in the United States amp oldid 1215767115, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
