Valley City Barnes County Public Library, serving an area of 12,000 residents, has a collection of 48,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 1,050 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 960 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 5 employees, including one fully accredited librarian, plus volunteers. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $10,500. Patrons make 30,000 visits annually, and check out materials 66,000 times. Thirty-one percent of all check-outs are children's materials.