For the 14th consecutive year, the Camden Public Library (CPL) has earned the distinction of being a “Star Library” as determined by the Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service (Index). The library was judged on criteria such as circulation, library visits, program attendance, and public internet use on a per capita basis, and compared to peers libraries. CPL has also received the Index’s esteemed five-star rating, their highest possible star rating, for the 12th year in a row.The 2021 Index was derived from data released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for FY19. A total of 5,846 U.S. public libraries were scored in groupings based on total operating expenditures. 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 1,180 libraries across the country with expenditures of $400K – $999.9K – CPL earned the Index’s second highest overall rating, scoring 4,427 total points.“Camden Library’s long run as a Star Library is a testament to our commitment to provide excellent library service, our wonderful staff, and the support we receive from the community,” said the library’s Executive Director Nikki Maounis. “We like to say that a town with a great library is a great town. That’s what we try to do every day of the week.”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.
About the Camden Public Library
The Camden Public Library strives to be more than a library. We aim to create a meaningful center of public life for community members of all ages to Read, Connect, and Discover.
