For the third consecutive year, Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) has been ranked among the top libraries in the U.S. in Library Journal's (LJ) Index of Public Library Service (Index). CCPL received a five-star rating in its peer group, the highest star rating awarded by the LJ, improving upon the four-star rating it received in 2021. CCPL is one of only two library systems in South Carolina with a starred rating, and the only five-star library in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia or Florida.
Published annually, the Index compares U.S. libraries with their peers based on per capita output measures. Ratings of five, four, and three stars are awarded to libraries that generate the highest combined per capita outputs among their spending peers.
Within its peer group – which includes some of the larger library systems in the US – CCPL earned a total score of 1,902, among the highest ratings of libraries in the Southeast in all categories. The 2022 Index was derived from data released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for FY20. A total of 5,359 U.S. public libraries were scored in groupings based on total operating expenditures, with only 258 of those receiving a three, four, or five-star rating.
“Libraries are an integral part of their surrounding communities, and as such we strive to provide the best services and resources possible while continuing to explore new ways to benefit our patrons and Charleston County,” said CCPL Executive Director Angela Craig. “We are honored to receive a coveted fifth star by the Library Journal, setting a new bar of excellence for our system as we continue our mission to better serve our community.”
Library Journal is the oldest and most respected publication covering the field of library service, with more than 100,000 readers. The LJ Index rating system was first introduced in 2008 to recognize and promote America's public libraries, to help improve the pool of nationally collected library statistics and to encourage library self-evaluation. For more information about the Index, visit libraryjournal.com. For more information about CCPL, visit ccpl.org.
