Tuesday, April 28, 2015

How many libraries in Alaska?

Question: I'm wondering how many libraries are in Alaska.

Answer: The answer to this question depends on how you're counting libraries. The Alaska State Library could be considered one library, or up to four libraries, if you count the State Library in Juneau, the State Library Historical Collections, and the State Library in Anchorage, which also houses the Talking Book Center. If you limit the question to public libraries only, you can find the answer from the Institute of Museum and Library Services' (IMLS) report on public libraries. In the fiscal year 2012 report, published in December 2014, IMLS identified 77 public library systems with 93 outlets, which counts central libraries, branch libraries, and bookmobiles.