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Erie County Taxpayers: Your Return on Investment in the Library
Public libraries do not just suggest the quality of life in a community, they also have a profound social and economic impact. Because library services and resources are largely free of charge and do not carry a price tag, their true worth can be underestimated and is seldom measured. The following information quantifies the values of some basic services provided by the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library in 2006.
Online Databases
Q. How much money did Erie County residents save by accessing B&ECPL databases for magazine articles?
A:More than $4,000,000!
724,502 (Total # of searches)
x $6.25 (Average cost to access articles online * )
= $4,528,138 Total Savings
* Based on current average cost to retrieve article from a fee-based website.
Borrower Savings
Q. How much money did Erie County residents save by borrowing books, magazines, videos and CDs?
A: More than $110,000,000!
7,038,167 (Total circulation)
x $16 (Average retail value * )
= $112,610,672 Total Savings
* Average retail value of material derived from Bowker Annual Library & Book Trade Almanac 2005, School Library Journal, Recording Industry Association of America, Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association and Acquisitions librarians at B&ECPL.
Computer Use
Q: How much money did Erie County residents save by using computers at the Library?
A: More than $16,000,000!
346,625 Computer sessions
x 3 hours Average time per session
=1,039,875 Total # of computer hours
1,034,619 x $16/hr * = $16,638,000 Total Savings
*Average retail charge = 30˘/min or $16/hour
Program Attendance
Q. How much money did Erie County residents save by attending programs in 2006?
A: More than $700,000!
28,594 Adult program attendance
+ 81,070 Young adult / children’sprogram attendance
= 109,664 Total program attendance
109,664 x $6.50 * = $ 712,816 Savings
*Cost to attend a matinee movie at a local cinema chain $6.50 Dollar value of your library service
Dollar value of your library service
+
$112,610,672
Borrowers
Savings
+
+
$134,489,626
Comparative
Retail Value
$134,489,626
Retail Value
÷
22,171,833
2007 Library Tax
=
$6.07