Library Journal
— January 4, 2006

St. Louis tops List in America's most literate cities library ranking

 St. Louis has taken the top honors in the library category of the annual America's Most Literate Cities ranking, compiled by Central Connecticut State University. Although St. Louis itself does not appear in the top ten cities list (it was number 15), it jumped in the library category from the number three position in 2004. The five variables considered include number of school media personnel, number of branch libraries, volumes held, circulation, and number of library professional staff. Other top cities for library service were Cleveland, Kansas City, Denver, and Columbus, while Seattle and Minneapolis—the top two in the overall ranking—finished slightly lower on the library list. For the study, cities traditionally have been scrutinized in terms of newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, periodical publishing resources, education, and libraries. For the 2005 survey, Internet access was added to the criteria. St. Louis Public Library executive director Waller McGuire thanked the library's patrons for their "efforts, support, and above all usage."

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