Fairfax County Public Library
LocationFairfax County, Virginia, US
Established1939 (1939)
Branches23[1]
Collection
Sizenearly three million items[2]
Access and use
Population served1,142,234
Other information
DirectorJessica A. Hudson
Websitewww.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/
Richard Byrd branch library
Centreville Regional Library
Chantilly regional library
Dolley Madison library
George Mason Regional Library
Kingstowne branch of Fairfax County Public Library in 2016
Sherwood Regional library (Hybla Valley) of Fairfax County Public Library in 2014
Martha Washington branch of Fairfax County Public Library in 2018
Woodrow Wilson Community library

The Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) is a public library system comprising 8 regional libraries, 14 community libraries and the Access Services Library Branch, which removes barriers to library services for people with disabilities. FCPL is headquartered in Suite 324 of The Fairfax County Government Center in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. [3] [1]

Hennen's American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR) has ranked the system among the top 10 libraries in the United States (for its size of 500,000+ residents) five times in the past 10 years.[4]

Description

According to the library's timeline, the Fairfax County Library was established in 1939.[5] As of May 2015, there are 23 library branches—8 regional branches, 14 community branches, and one which assists people with disabilities. The library also oversees the county's Archives and Records Management Branch. The library's service area spans both the county and Fairfax City and several local jurisdictions through reciprocity agreements serving nearly half a million registered users.[6] The library system is the largest in Virginia in terms of population served (over one million people between Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax).

In the library's 2010 fiscal year (through June 2010), nearly 14 million items were borrowed from its collection of nearly three million books, CDs, DVDs, magazines, and other items. Nearly 5.7 million visits were made to the branches, and website visits reached almost 5 million.[6]

The library offers a wide variety of services both in the branches and via its Web site, including searching through its catalog, reserving items, applying for a library card, viewing calendar of events at libraries, and reserving meeting rooms.[7] The library has public computers for access to the Internet, catalog computers, ebooks, downloadable eaudiobooks, and subscription databases. The library and their Friends groups sponsor various programs, such as children's story times, national and local author readings and book signings, local musical concerts, technology classes and one-on-one sessions, and special events for the county's diverse population.

The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees dropped to 379 in FY2014 from 430 at the end of FY2013 in the wake of the library's continuing budget cuts.[8] Volunteers donated over 124,000 hours in 2014.[6] The Director of the Fairfax County Public Library is Jessica A. Hudson who, in mid-2016, succeeded previous Director Sam (Edwin S.) Clay III, who had served in that position for more than thirty years.[9]

Branches

Non-resident privileges

Library cards are available to non-residents without charge who work, go to school in, or owns property in Fairfax County, or who live, work, own property or go to school in the City of Fairfax, or the Towns of Herndon or Vienna. A card is also available free for a person who lives, works or owns property in a jurisdiction that provides reciprocal privileges. Thus, cards are available for free for residents, property owners and employees working in the District of Columbia; the Maryland Counties of Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George's; the Virginia Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park; and the Virginia counties of Arlington, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William. All others who do not qualify may obtain a card for $27 a year.

Nearby public library systems

References

  1. 1 2 "Branches | Library". Fairfax County Public Library. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Introduction - Strategic Planning - Research Center Guides at Fairfax County Government". Fairfax County Government. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  3. ↑ "2023 Budget, Fairfax County Public Library" (PDF). Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Libraries by Frequency in Top Ten". Hennen's American Public Library Ratings. April 2010. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Timeline of the Fairfax County Public Library". Fairfax County Public Library. Archived from the original on June 23, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 "Fact Sheet about the Fairfax County Public Library". Fairfax County Government. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Library Home". Fairfax County Government. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Fairfax County Public Library - FY 2015 Advertised Budget (Fairfax County, Virginia)" (PDF). Fairfax County Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Jessica Hudson Appointed Fairfax County Public Library Director". Fairfax County Government. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
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