Pierce County Library System
Information & Imagination

About Us

Fast Facts

Anderson Island Bonney Lake Buckley DuPont Eatonville Fife  Gig Harbor Graham Key Center

Lakewood Milton/Edgewood Orting Parkland/Spanaway South Hill Steilacoom Summit Sumner Tillicum University Place

Agreements with other libraries allow Pierce County residents to use neighboring libraries.

Learning
• Supports growth and curiosity.
• Prepares preschoolers to learn.
• Promotes school and career success.
• Strengthens skills and knowledge.

Enjoyment
• Helps you enjoy your free time.
• Inspires imagination.
• Fosters love of reading.
• Creates opportunities to discover.

Community
• Connects and strengthens communities.
• Brings people together.
• Activates communities with welcoming buildings and online spaces.
• Connects people with information and community resources.

Pierce County Library System’s 19 libraries and online services bring people together and
provide opportunities for learning, enrichment and fun.

Books & More • Print, e-books, audiobooks • Magazines, music, movies • Book clubs • Museum passes Job + Business • Expert help • Business workshops • E-sources and online tools Technology • Computers, laptops, Wi-Fi • Printers, copiers, fax machines • Technology classes and certifications

Online • Catalog of books and materials • Downloadable e-books, audiobooks, magazines, videos • Buying guides, auto repair, coding, genealogy, investing • Real-time homework tutors and job coaches Kids & Family • School readiness • Science to Go • STEAM • Homework help

Summer Reading Program days read – 38,879

Books/materials checked out - 4,396,941
From shelves – 2,118,456
From online e-books and audiobooks – 2,278,485

Use of online databases/e-sources – 467,334

Public Computer Sessions - 36,920

Wi-Fi Sessions - 421,463

Visits - 1,724,211
To 19 libraries – 732,606
To websites – 991,605

Cardholders –291,195

Event and class attendance – 8,057

Books, movies and other materials in the system – 654,861
Online/downloadable materials – 461,011

Adult care facilities, child care centers and homebound people served – 168

Employees (Full-Time Equivalent) – 310

Volunteer hours – 829

Pierce County Library System serves all of unincorporated Pierce County and the annexed cities and towns of Bonney Lake, Buckley, DuPont, Eatonville, Edgewood, Fife, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Milton, Orting, South Prairie, Steilacoom, Sumner, University Place and Wilkeson.

Population of service area – 620,000

Service area size – 1,800 square miles

Total 2020 general fund revenue is estimated at $40,180,600.

Property taxes provide 97% of the funds for library services. By state law, library systems may collect up to 50 cents per $1,000 of a property's assessed value.

The 2021 tax rate is 43.7 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Established as an independent municipal corporation established under the Revised Code of Washington 27.12.

Operates as a junior taxing district funded from a separate property tax levy.

Overseen by a volunteer board of trustees appointed and approved by Pierce County.