Table 701.15.

Number and percentage of public and private schools with libraries/media centers and average number of staff per library/media center, by staff type and employment status and selected school characteristics: School year 2020-21

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
School level, enrollment size, and locale	Schools with libraries/media centers				Average number of staff per library/media center
					Librarians or library media specialists						Library media center aides
	Number		Percent		Full time			Part time			Full time			Part time
1	2		3		4			5			6			7
Total, all public schools	80,500	(420)	87.6	(0.44)	0.7		(0.01)	0.2		(0.01)	0.4		(0.01)	0.1		(0.01)
Elementary schools	46,700	(290)	92.5	(0.50)	0.7		(0.01)	0.2		(0.01)	0.3		(0.01)	0.1		(0.01)
Enrollment size
Less than 150 students	2,500	(190)	74.4	(3.58)	0.1		(0.03)	0.5		(0.07)	0.2		(0.04)	0.1		(0.04)
150 to 499 students	28,400	(430)	93.3	(0.67)	0.6		(0.01)	0.2		(0.01)	0.3		(0.02)	0.2		(0.01)
500 to 749 students	12,400	(390)	94.9	(0.70)	0.8		(0.02)	0.1		(0.02)	0.4		(0.02)	0.1		(0.01)
750 or more students	3,400	(200)	94.2	(1.19)	0.8		(0.04)	0.1		(0.03)	0.4		(0.04)	0.2		(0.03)
Locale
City	13,500	(190)	88.5	(1.13)	0.7		(0.02)	0.2		(0.01)	0.3		(0.02)	0.1		(0.02)
Suburban	16,700	(140)	94.4	(0.71)	0.7		(0.02)	0.2		(0.02)	0.3		(0.02)	0.2		(0.02)
Town	5,400	(90)	95.5	(1.13)	0.7		(0.03)	0.2		(0.02)	0.4		(0.03)	0.2		(0.02)
Rural	11,100	(170)	93.5	(1.12)	0.6		(0.02)	0.2		(0.02)	0.4		(0.04)	0.1		(0.02)
Middle schools	13,700	(180)	94.1	(0.76)	0.7		(0.02)	0.2		(0.02)	0.4		(0.02)	0.1		(0.01)
Enrollment size
Less than 150 students	‡	(†)	‡	(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
150 to 499 students	4,600	(210)	88.6	(1.62)	0.6		(0.03)	0.2		(0.03)	0.3		(0.03)	0.1		(0.03)
500 to 749 students	4,200	(190)	97.1	(0.96)	0.8		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)	0.4		(0.04)	0.1		(0.02)
750 or more students	4,600	(170)	99.2	(0.42)	0.9		(0.02)	0.1		(0.01)	0.5		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)
Locale
City	3,400	(100)	89.5	(1.88)	0.7		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)	0.4		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)
Suburban	5,000	(90)	95.0	(1.42)	0.8		(0.03)	0.2		(0.03)	0.4		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)
Town	2,000	(90)	95.4	(1.74)	0.7		(0.04)	0.2		(0.03)	0.6		(0.05)	0.1		(0.02)
Rural	3,200	(100)	97.2	(1.04)	0.7		(0.04)	0.2		(0.04)	0.4		(0.04)	0.2		(0.03)
Secondary/high schools	15,800	(310)	75.6	(1.24)	0.8		(0.02)	0.1		(0.01)	0.5		(0.02)	0.1		(0.01)
Enrollment size
Less than 150 students	1,600	(180)	41.4	(4.15)	0.1		(0.04)	0.2		(0.04)	0.1	!	(0.03)	0.1	!	(0.03)
150 to 499 students	4,300	(220)	69.9	(2.51)	0.6		(0.03)	0.2		(0.02)	0.3		(0.04)	0.1		(0.02)
500 to 749 students	2,300	(150)	79.0	(2.48)	0.8		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)	0.5		(0.05)	0.1		(0.02)
750 or more students	7,600	(200)	95.2	(0.86)	1.0		(0.02)	0.1		(0.01)	0.6		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)
Locale
City	3,800	(130)	67.4	(2.39)	0.8		(0.04)	0.1		(0.01)	0.3		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)
Suburban	4,600	(170)	78.7	(2.34)	0.9		(0.03)	0.1		(0.01)	0.5		(0.04)	0.1		(0.02)
Town	2,500	(110)	70.9	(2.79)	0.7		(0.04)	0.1		(0.02)	0.6		(0.07)	0.1		(0.02)
Rural	4,800	(190)	83.3	(2.19)	0.7		(0.03)	0.2		(0.02)	0.4		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)
Combined/other schools	4,400	(230)	72.4	(2.56)	0.6		(0.08)	0.2		(0.02)	0.3		(0.04)	0.1		(0.03)
Enrollment size
Less than 150 students	1,100	(130)	59.3	(5.60)	0.2		(0.05)	0.2		(0.05)	0.2	!	(0.06)	0.1	!	(0.05)
150 to 499 students	2,100	(180)	83.8	(2.52)	0.6		(0.07)	0.2		(0.04)	0.3		(0.04)	0.2		(0.04)
500 to 749 students	500	(70)	71.3	(7.85)	0.6		(0.10)	0.1	!	(0.06)	0.4	!	(0.13)	‡		(†)
750 or more students	800	(90)	69.6	(4.28)	1.2		(0.37)	0.1		(0.04)	0.5		(0.13)	‡		(†)
Locale
City	500	(60)	57.2	(5.35)	0.4		(0.07)	0.1	!	(0.05)	0.2		(0.04)	‡		(†)
Suburban	400	(70)	45.9	(6.78)	0.5		(0.10)	0.1	!	(0.06)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Town	‡	(†)	52.3	(8.68)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Rural	3,200	(200)	86.4	(2.82)	0.6		(0.05)	0.2		(0.03)	0.3		(0.04)	0.2		(0.03)
Total, all private schools	17,900	(380)	74.2	(1.49)	0.3		(0.01)	0.2		(0.02)	#		(†)	0.1		(0.01)
Elementary/middle schools	10,200	(330)	76.2	(2.20)	0.2		(0.02)	0.3		(0.02)	#		(†)	0.1		(0.01)
Enrollment size
Less than 150 students	6,100	(320)	71.4	(3.10)	0.1		(0.02)	0.2		(0.03)	‡		(†)	0.1	!	(0.02)
150 to 499 students	3,800	(190)	84.5	(2.53)	0.3		(0.03)	0.3		(0.03)	#		(†)	0.1	!	(0.03)
500 to 749 students	‡	(†)	‡	(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
750 or more students	‡	(†)	‡	(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Locale
City	3,500	(160)	79.0	(2.99)	0.2		(0.03)	0.3		(0.04)	‡		(†)	0.1	!	(0.03)
Suburban	3,400	(150)	76.6	(3.05)	0.3		(0.04)	0.3		(0.05)	#		(†)	0.1	!	(0.02)
Town	1,100	(90)	84.9	(4.66)	0.1	!	(0.04)	0.3		(0.06)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Rural	2,200	(230)	68.5	(6.78)	‡		(†)	0.1		(0.04)	#		(†)	0.1	!	(0.03)
Secondary/high schools	2,200	(90)	71.6	(2.16)	0.4		(0.03)	0.2		(0.02)	0.1		(0.01)	0.1		(0.02)
Enrollment size
Less than 150 students	800	(80)	57.5	(4.13)	#		(†)	0.2		(0.05)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
150 to 499 students	800	(50)	83.3	(2.79)	0.5		(0.05)	0.3		(0.05)	0.1	!	(0.02)	0.1	!	(0.04)
500 to 749 students	300	(30)	93.9	(2.72)	1.0		(0.10)	0.1	!	(0.05)	0.2	!	(0.05)	0.1	!	(0.03)
750 or more students	200	(20)	79.6	(5.61)	1.2		(0.14)	‡		(†)	0.1	!	(0.04)	‡		(†)
Locale
City	1,000	(60)	77.0	(3.23)	0.5		(0.06)	0.2		(0.03)	0.1		(0.02)	#		(†)
Suburban	700	(50)	64.6	(3.90)	0.5		(0.06)	0.2		(0.05)	#		(†)	0.1	!	(0.03)
Town	‡	(†)	‡	(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Rural	400	(50)	72.6	(6.60)	0.3		(0.07)	0.3		(0.07)	0.1	!	(0.02)	0.2	!	(0.07)
Combined/other schools	5,500	(220)	71.6	(2.39)	0.3		(0.03)	0.2		(0.02)	#		(†)	#		(†)
Enrollment size
Less than 150 students	3,200	(210)	65.3	(3.32)	0.1		(0.02)	0.1		(0.02)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
150 to 499 students	1,700	(140)	78.8	(3.65)	0.4		(0.05)	0.3		(0.04)	0.1	!	(0.02)	0.1		(0.02)
500 to 749 students	300	(50)	97.5	(2.53)	1.4		(0.21)	0.2	!	(0.08)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
750 or more students	300	(50)	93.4	(3.91)	1.6		(0.26)	0.4	!	(0.14)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Locale
City	1,700	(130)	71.1	(4.17)	0.5		(0.08)	0.2		(0.03)	0.1	!	(0.03)	0.1	!	(0.02)
Suburban	2,000	(140)	71.1	(3.87)	0.3		(0.04)	0.2		(0.04)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Town	600	(80)	80.2	(6.57)	0.3		(0.07)	0.2	!	(0.06)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Rural	1,200	(110)	69.1	(6.85)	0.2		(0.04)	0.3		(0.06)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)

†Not applicable.

#Rounds to zero.

!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.

NOTE: A library media center is an organized collection of printed and/or audiovisual and/or computer resources, which is administered as a unit, is located in a designated place or places, and makes resources and services available to students, teachers, and administrators. A library media center may be called a school library, media center, information center, instructional materials center, learning resource center, or any other similar name. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), "Public School Data File," 2020-21, and "Private School Data File," 2020-21. (This table was prepared April 2023.)