Kansas City Public Library, serving an area of 260,000 residents, has a collection of 2,100,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 23,000 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 198 employees, of whom 56 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and 9 branch libraries. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $2,800,000. Patrons make 2,000,000 visits annually, and check out materials 2,900,000 times. Twenty-nine percent of all check-outs are children's materials.