School libraries were present in 84.8% of all U.S. schools during 2020–21. Coverage varied substantially by school sector, grade level, enrollment size, community type, and state. The same school year also provides a snapshot of library staffing and programs offered before or after the school day.
Contents
- How common are school libraries?
- Coverage by community type
- Coverage by enrollment size
- Staffing levels
- Before- and after-school programs
- State differences
How common are school libraries?
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that 87.6% of U.S. public schools had a library media center in 2020–21. Traditional public schools had higher coverage, at 91.3%, while public charter schools had a library media center in 52.3% of cases. Among private schools, the reported percentage was 74.2%.
These figures describe whether a school had a library media center, not the size of its collection or the number of students using it. NCES defines a library media center as an organized collection of printed, audiovisual, and/or computer resources administered as a unit and making resources and services available to students, teachers, and administrators. The estimates are weighted for the 2020–21 school year and should be interpreted only for the stated school populations. NCES, Number and percentage of public and private schools with libraries/media centers and average number of staff per library/media center, 2020–21
Coverage also differed by public school level. Public elementary schools reported the highest percentage among the three listed levels, with 92.5% having a library media center. The figure was 94.1% for public middle schools and 75.6% for public secondary/high schools.
| School group | Schools with a library media center |
|---|---|
| All U.S. schools | 84.8% |
| Public schools | 87.6% |
| Traditional public schools | 91.3% |
| Public charter schools | 52.3% |
| Private schools | 74.2% |
| Public elementary schools | 92.5% |
| Public middle schools | 94.1% |
| Public secondary/high schools | 75.6% |
The level figures are not interchangeable with sector figures: for example, the public elementary percentage describes public elementary schools, while the private-school percentage describes private schools across the relevant population in the NCES table.
Coverage by community type
Among public schools in 2020–21, library media center coverage was highest in towns at 95.5%. Suburban public schools followed at 94.4%, and rural public schools were at 93.5%. Public schools in cities had the lowest coverage among the four listed community types, though the percentage was still 88.5%.
The all-school estimates show a similar pattern where figures are available. Across all school sectors, 83.0% of schools in cities had a library media center, compared with 89.8% in suburban areas. Because these two figures include all schools while the four higher figures describe public schools, they should be compared within their stated populations rather than treated as one single ranking.
| Community type | Public schools | All schools, where reported |
|---|---|---|
| City | 88.5% | 83.0% |
| Suburban | 94.4% | 89.8% |
| Town | 95.5% | — |
| Rural | 93.5% | — |
NCES, Library media center and before- or after-school programs or services, 2020–21
Coverage by enrollment size
Enrollment size was associated with large differences in public school library coverage. In 2020–21, 74.4% of public schools enrolling fewer than 150 students had a library media center. The percentage rose to 93.3% among schools with 150–499 students, 94.9% among schools with 500–749 students, and 94.2% among schools with 750 or more students.
The pattern was especially pronounced for public secondary/high schools. Only 41.4% of those with fewer than 150 students had a library media center. Coverage was 69.9% for schools with 150–499 students, 79.0% for schools with 500–749 students, and 95.2% for schools with at least 750 students.
Private elementary/middle schools had reported coverage of 71.4% among schools with fewer than 150 students and 84.5% among schools with 150–499 students. These percentages apply to the listed private elementary/middle school groups and should not be generalized to all private schools.
| Enrollment group | Public schools | Public secondary/high schools |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 150 students | 74.4% | 41.4% |
| 150–499 students | 93.3% | 69.9% |
| 500–749 students | 94.9% | 79.0% |
| 750 or more students | 94.2% | 95.2% |
The size measures indicate why a national percentage can conceal meaningful differences between school types. A small public secondary/high school and a large public secondary/high school were not represented by the same coverage rate in the NCES estimates.
Staffing levels
NCES also reported average staffing per public school library media center. In 2020–21, the average public school center had 0.7 full-time librarians or library media specialists and 0.2 part-time librarians or specialists. The same centers averaged 0.4 full-time library media center aides and 0.1 part-time aides.
These are averages per center, not a statement that every center employed a fraction of a person. An average of 0.7 full-time librarians, for example, summarizes staffing across the reported public school library media centers.
Staffing averages varied by school level. Elementary public school centers averaged 0.7 full-time librarians or library media specialists, 0.2 part-time librarians or specialists, 0.3 full-time aides, and 0.1 part-time aides. Secondary/high public school centers averaged 0.8 full-time librarians or specialists, 0.1 part-time librarians or specialists, 0.5 full-time aides, and 0.1 part-time aides.
| Public school center type | Full-time librarians or specialists | Part-time librarians or specialists | Full-time aides | Part-time aides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All public schools | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| Elementary | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Secondary/high | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
The staffing figures come from the same NCES 2020–21 table as the coverage estimates. They describe average staffing by employment status and staff type; they do not measure staff workload, operating hours, qualifications, collection size, or student-to-staff ratios. NCES, Number and percentage of public and private schools with libraries/media centers and average number of staff per library/media center, 2020–21
Before- and after-school programs
Library media center coverage is one measure of school resources, while programs offered outside the normal day provide a separate view of student services. Across all U.S. schools in 2020–21, 45.8% offered instruction beyond the normal day for students needing academic assistance. The percentage offering instruction beyond the normal day for academic advancement or enrichment was 30.5%.
Extended-day care was offered by 35.7% of all U.S. schools. School-related activities and clubs were more common, at 64.7% of all schools. These categories describe school offerings and do not establish that a particular program was operated by a library or library media center.
Among public schools, 48.5% offered instruction beyond the normal day for students needing academic assistance, and 32.2% offered instruction beyond the normal day for academic advancement or enrichment. Public schools reported extended-day care at 31.1% and school-related activities and clubs at 66.5%.
| Program or service | All U.S. schools | Public schools |
|---|---|---|
| Academic assistance beyond the normal day | 45.8% | 48.5% |
| Academic advancement or enrichment beyond the normal day | 30.5% | 32.2% |
| Extended-day care | 35.7% | 31.1% |
| School-related activities and clubs | 64.7% | 66.5% |
The program percentages refer to services offered before or after school for students in any grades K–12 during 2020–21. They are not estimates of participation, attendance frequency, library use, or the number of programs. NCES, Library media center and before- or after-school programs or services, 2020–21
State differences
Public school library coverage varied by state in the 2020–21 estimates. Iowa and Nebraska each reported 100.0% of public schools with a library media center. Wisconsin reported 98.7%, followed by New Hampshire at 97.8% and Rhode Island at 97.7%.
Georgia reported 95.2% of public schools with a library media center. The listed percentages were lower in Michigan, at 74.6%, and Minnesota, at 74.4%.
| State | Public schools with a library media center |
|---|---|
| Iowa | 100.0% |
| Nebraska | 100.0% |
| Wisconsin | 98.7% |
| New Hampshire | 97.8% |
| Rhode Island | 97.7% |
| Georgia | 95.2% |
| Michigan | 74.6% |
| Minnesota | 74.4% |
These state figures are weighted NCES estimates for the 2020–21 school year. They are selected state results, not a complete state-by-state ranking, and the percentages should not be generalized beyond public schools in that measurement period. The table’s symbols and standard errors are omitted here for concise reporting. NCES, Library media center and before- or after-school programs or services by state, 2020–21