Calcasieu Parish Public Library, serving an area of 180,000 residents, has a collection of 340,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 18,000 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 20,000 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 96 employees, of whom 8 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and 13 branch libraries. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $580,000. Patrons make 560,000 visits annually, and check out materials 1,050,000 times. Twenty-two percent of all check-outs are children's materials.
