Bristol Public Library, serving an area of 60,000 residents in Hartford County, has a collection of 147,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 3,700 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 4,200 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 28 employees, of whom 9 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and one branch library. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $220,000. Patrons make 290,000 visits annually, and check out materials 370,000 times. Forty-six percent of all check-outs are children's materials.
This library is also affliated with F. N. Manross Memorial Library.