Porter County Public Library System, serving an area of 126,000 residents, has a collection of 370,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 24,000 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 21,000 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 78 employees, of whom 11 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and 4 branch libraries, plus one bookmobile. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $520,000. Patrons make 920,000 visits annually, and check out materials 1,800,000 times. Thirty-seven percent of all check-outs are children's materials.
