Altoona Area Public Library, serving an area of 63,000 residents, has a collection of 220,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 5,600 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 5,000 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public.
Staffing consists of 28 employees, of whom 6 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $189,000. Patrons make 240,000 visits annually, and check out materials 330,000 times. Twenty-five percent of all check-outs are children's materials.