Clay Center Carnegie Library, serving an area of 4,600 residents, has a collection of 40,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 840 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 370 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 3 employees, including one fully accredited librarian, plus volunteers. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $14,000. Patrons make 13,200 visits annually, and check out materials 42,000 times. Forty-eight percent of all check-outs are children's materials.