As of 2026-10-12, New York Public Library tops the list with 18,000,000 visitors/year.
- #1 New York Public Library — 18,000,000 visitors/year
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 — 10,374,334 visitors/year
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 Brooklyn Public Library — 8,672,716 visitors/year
public library system in New York City
The Brooklyn Public Library is the public library system of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is the sixteenth largest public library system in the United States by holding and the seventh by number of visitors. Like the two other public library systems in New York City, it is an independent nonprofit organization that is funded by the city and state governments, the federal government, and private donors. In marketing materials, the library styles its name as Bklyn Public Library. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #4 Broward County Library — 7,663,879 visitors/year
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 - #5 Calgary Public Library — 7,600,000 visitors/year
public library system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The Calgary Public Library (CPL) is a distributed library system featuring 22 branch locations including the Central Library. As of 2012, it is the second most used system in Canada and the sixth most used library system in North America. This is despite the fact that the Calgary Public Library has one of the lowest per capita funding in the country, receiving as little as half the money of other Canadian public libraries. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #6 Cuyahoga County Public Library — 7,388,732 visitors/year
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 - #7 San Jose Public Library — 6,855,000 visitors/year
public library system in California, USA
The San José Public Library is the public library system of San Jose, California, made up of 25 branch libraries spread across the city. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #8 Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library — 6,490,640 visitors/year
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 - #9 Free Library of Philadelphia — 5,926,481 visitors/year
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 St. Louis County Library — 5,877,179 visitors/year
public library in St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County Library (SLCL) is a library system that serves residents of St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. It is the busiest public library in Missouri, circulating more than 11 million items in 2023. It consists of 20 branches, including the Headquarters branch, which is located at 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd in Ladue, Missouri. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata