The District of Columbia is a book haven, according to Lawn Love, which ranks the city fourth for book fans.

The site ranks 200 of the biggest U.S. cities in five categories: books for sale, book rentals, special access, book swaps and community.

D.C. ranks below only New York City, San Francisco and Seattle.

D.C. has the second-highest number of independent bookstores and is third in total bookstores per square mile. The city also has the second-most literary festivals in the country, with New York boasting the most.

Rounding out the top 10 are Miami; Chicago; Los Angeles; St. Paul, Minnesota; Baltimore and St. Louis.

Another city near D.C., Alexandria, Virginia, makes the ranking at 18 with its numerous bookstores and public libraries.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.