As of 2026-10-12, New York Public Library tops the list with 448,257,647 USD.
- #1 New York Public Library — 448,257,647 USD
public library system in New York City
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a chartered public library system in New York City, United States. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest library in the United States, behind the Library of Congress, and sixth-largest in the world. It is a private, non-governmental, independently managed, nonprofit corporation operating with both private and public financing. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #2 Chicago Public Library — 135,280,031 USD
public library system in Illinois
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the municipal public library system of the City of Chicago in Illinois, United States. It consists of 82 locations, including a central library, three regional libraries, and branch libraries distributed throughout the city's 77 community areas. The Chicago Public Library system was founded in 1872, in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #3 Multnomah County Library — 88,820,320 USD
library system serving Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
Multnomah County Library is the public library system serving Portland and Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. A continuation of the Library Association of Portland, established in 1864, the system now has 19 branches offering books, magazines, DVDs, and computers. It is the largest library system in Oregon, serving a population of 801,546, with more than 369,377 registered borrowers. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #4 Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library — 82,752,210 USD
public library system in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) is a public library system in the United States. In addition to its main library location in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, CHPL operates 40 regional and branch locations throughout Hamilton County. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #5 Cuyahoga County Public Library — 66,181,445 USD
public library in Ohio, United States
Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) has 27 branches that serve 47 communities in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. It was ranked the number one public library in the United States among libraries serving populations of more than 500,000 by the Hennen's American Public Library Ratings 2010. In 2022, more than 10 million items were borrowed by its 737,702 cardholders, and 2.99 million visits were made to branches. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #6 District of Columbia Public Library — 65,373,322 USD
library system serving Washington, D.C., United States
The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) is the public library system for Washington, D.C., United States. The system includes 26 libraries including Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, DCPL's central library. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #7 Cleveland Public Library — 65,254,099 USD
public library system in Ohio, USA
The Cleveland Public Library is a public library system in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1869, it had a circulation of 3.5 million items in 2020. It operates the Main Library on Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland, 27 branches throughout the city, a mobile library, a Public Administration Library in City Hall, and the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled. The library replaced the State Library of Ohio as the location for the Ohio Center for the Book in 2003. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #8 Broward County Library — 63,736,815 USD
public library system
The Broward County Library is a public library system in Broward County, Florida, in the United States. The system contains 37 branch locations and circulates over 9 million items annually. The system includes the Main Library in Fort Lauderdale, five regional libraries, and various branches. According to the Broward County Library’s 2024 Annual Report, library programs saw a 20% increase in attendance, serving more than 340,000 people. Total circulation of books exceeded 8.5 million, also... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #9 Free Library of Philadelphia — 59,188,213 USD
public library system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the 16th-largest public library system in the United States. The Free Library of Philadelphia is a non-Mayoral agency of the City of Philadelphia, governed by an independent Board of Trustees as per the Charter of the City of Philadelphia. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #10 Orange County Library System — 51,220,658 USD
public library system in Florida, United States
The Orange County Library System (OCLS) is a public library system serving the Orlando area of Central Florida. Its main branch is the Orlando Public Library in Downtown Orlando. There are 15 additional branch locations. Read more on Wikipedia.
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