Knox County Public Library System, serving an area of 380,000 residents, has a collection of 880,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 26,000 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 10,500 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 176 employees, of whom 35 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and 18 branch libraries. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $1,470,000. Patrons make 1,260,000 visits annually, and check out materials 2,400,000 times. Forty-two percent of all check-outs are children's materials.
