South Orange Public Library, serving an area of 16,800 residents, has a collection of 96,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 3,900 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 1,760 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 16 employees, of whom 5 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $105,000. Patrons make 132,000 visits annually, and check out materials 126,000 times. Forty-four percent of all check-outs are children's materials.