Hershey Public Library, serving an area of 21,000 residents, has a collection of 80,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 7,800 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 5,200 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 14 employees, of whom 4 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $105,000. Patrons make 210,000 visits annually, and check out materials 400,000 times. Forty-two percent of all check-outs are children's materials.