San Luis Obispo City-County Library, serving an area of 230,000 residents, has a collection of 400,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 16,800 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 19,800 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 63 employees, of whom 14 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and 14 branch libraries, plus one bookmobile. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $540,000. Patrons make 780,000 visits annually, and check out materials 1,890,000 times. Thirty-one percent of all check-outs are children's materials.
