Riverside Public Library, serving an area of 270,000 residents, has a collection of 400,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 12,000 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 11,500 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 75 employees, of whom 15 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and 4 branch libraries. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $690,000. Patrons make 780,000 visits annually, and check out materials 1,380,000 times. Forty percent of all check-outs are children's materials.
