Hastings Public Library, serving an area of 31,000 residents, has a collection of 140,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 5,800 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 1,680 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 17 employees, of whom 5 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library, plus one bookmobile. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $138,000. Patrons make 168,000 visits annually, and check out materials 290,000 times. Forty-eight percent of all check-outs are children's materials.