Johnston County was formed June 28, 1746 from Craven County. It only took another 262 years to get a library at 40/42, but then it took a while to get routes I-40 and N.C. 42 to cross!

Cleveland Library became the second program of Basic Needs Ministry to develop under its own identity, when it started lending books in the Basic Needs Ministry facility on August 4, 2008, 85 years after Cleveland Township was created. Basic Needs Ministry had an Internet site since 2003, which had plenty of space to share with the library. It only took a minute to add another E-mail account for Cleveland Library and voice mail for library staff. In 2006, Basic Needs had free public access computers to give residents and businesses access to modern top quality software and the Internet, which were transferred to the library. Free Wi-Fi was added in 2009. The Library started lending on August 4, 2008, with 12 hours of service a week, an all-volunteer staff, and more than 5,000 donated books. By Christmas, donors had brought in more than 15,000 books, with an estimated original value well over $200,000. By New Year's Day, the library had the first entries of its catalog on the Internet. By the end of February the collection was greater than 21,000 items. The collection was growing far faster than shelving capacity. Donors were going to bookstores, buying new books, and sending them to Cleveland Library. Authors, bookstores, brokers, publishers, and Internet stores donated books. Because the community committed so much money and effort to the library's collection, Basic Needs Ministry will only sell a limited selection of withdrawn books, mainly selected by the director and library staff. Well, really they are possibly the 9th and 10th copy of some Nora Roberts title.

The following Johnston County libraries have a collection containing 236,253 volumes, circulate 400,634 items per year, and serve a population of 141,391 residents. The county library provides 1.7 books per resident and it appears that the books are checked out less than twice a year. The county staff updated its information in January 2009.

Cleveland Library was inserted in this list simply to show its acquisition/collection rank among the county libraries. On August 4, 2009, its first year anniversary, it offered 2.7 books for each Cleveland Township resident; Cleveland residents' total library benefit is up to 4.4 books per person. Cleveland Library is an independent free to the public library and not a member of the Johnston County Library system. It has essentially the same status each library in Johnston had until they formed the unified system. Cleveland has the fastest growth track of any Johnston Library. Trivia provided from current library sites and interviews.

1. The Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield evolved 60 years after a small library was operating inside Hood's Drug Store (1903). The Woman's Club was credited with bringing about the Smithfield Library. In the 1960s, the Town-County Library was born. Since individual library collection numbers are hidden in the county's reporting, here is a clip from the Internet: "Library Of Johnston County & Smithfield, serving an area of 126,000 residents, has a collection of 198,000 books and periodicals; in addition, there are 4,800 CDs, records, cassettes and other audio materials, as well as 5,400 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes. Internet terminals are available for use by the general public. Staffing consists of 30 employees, of whom 2 are fully accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system comprises one central library and 7 branch libraries, plus one bookmobile. Annual expenditures on the library collection total $210,000. Patrons make 270,000 visits annually, and check out materials 380,000 times. Forty-four percent of all check-outs are children's materials.
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2. Cleveland Library, a private library providing free to the public services, at I-40 and N.C. 42 in Cleveland Township, has a 32-hour a week schedule with all volunteer help and 120,000 books and videos, with almost 1,000 additions arriving weekly. Its web-based electronic catalog is being developed using Evergreen software. Free Internet and computer access with library card. Free movie loans. Free Wi-Fi.
3. Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library, Clayton, was started when the Women's Club put out a call for book donations in 1927. It received 600 books and popped opened. By 2008 it held 61,000 books and 2,400 books on tape. That is an 81 year net growth of 14 books per week. It circulates 144,000 items annually and advertises 38 1/2 hours weekly.
4. Selma Public Library, Selma, advertises 52 1/2 hours weekly.
5. Mary Duncan Public Library, Benson, advertises 48 hours weekly schedule and 25,000 items cataloged.
6. Kenly Public Library, Kenly, advertises a 40 hour a week schedule and 16,943 cataloged or 17,743 items.
7. James Bryan Creech Public Library in Four Oaks advertises 15 hours of weekly service, public computers, Internet access, staff e-mail, and voice mail. The collection has 14,100 items.
8. The Johnston County Bookmobile carries 2,000 or so items.
9. Princeton Public Library listed their space at 100 sq. ft. and 10 service hours weekly.
10. Johnston County Heritage Center, Smithfield
11. Atkinson Memorial Library, Selma - closed
12. Pine Level Library - closed