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The library value calculator was originally developed by the Massachusetts Library Association. Our version was adapted from Maine State Library's Library Use Value Calculator.
The library value calculator uses a combination of actual and estimated average costs of library materials and services as well as actual and estimated average costs for equivalent or comparable services available elsewhere in the Worthington community.
| Library service | Value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Hardcover books borrowed | $27.04 | Average retail cost of hardcover for adults (2012) Source: Greco, Albert. (2011). Cited by Rebecca T. Miller in "Fuel for Your Fire: Good data offers a reality check that's invaluable for building libraries," School Library Journal, March 1, 2012. |
| Paperback books borrowed | $8.72 | Average retail cost of mass market paperback for adults (2012) Source: Greco, Albert. (2011). Cited by Rebecca T. Miller in "Fuel for Your Fire: Good data offers a reality check that's invaluable for building libraries," School Library Journal, March 1, 2012. |
| Children's books borrowed | $19.40 | Average retail cost of hardcover for children (2012) Source: Greco, Albert. (2011). Cited by Rebecca T. Miller in "Fuel for Your Fire: Good data offers a reality check that's invaluable for building libraries," School Library Journal, March 1, 2012. |
| Magazines borrowed | $5.46 | Average newsstand price of magazines offered at Worthington Libraries, sampling approximately 25% of magazine titles |
| DVDs/movies borrowed | $8.40 | Cost to rent a movie from Redbox for seven days |
| CDs borrowed | $9.35 | Average retail cost to purchase a music CD (2011) Source: Bakula, David. (2012). The Music Industry: A Mid-Year Glance (PDF). Nielsen Webinar presented August 1, 2012. |
| Audiobooks borrowed | $48.24 | Average retail cost of adult fiction audiobook (2011) Source: Bogart, Dave and Julia C. Blixrud. (2011). Library and Book Trade Almanac. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc. |
| eBooks/eAudiobooks downloaded | $5.31 | Average retail cost of adult fiction eBook (2011) Source: Bogart, Dave and Julia C. Blixrud. (2011). Library and Book Trade Almanac. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc. |
| Reference questions asked | $30.00 | Average fee to ask a question at Pearl.com |
| Children's programs attended | $15.00 | Median registration fee for non-resident to attend a single session of a general-interest, elementary-age program at a local community organization |
| Teen programs attended | $9.00 | Median registration fee for non-resident to attend a single session of a general-interest, teen program at a local community organization |
| Adult programs attended | $14.50 | Median registration fee for non-residents to attend a single session of a general-interest, adult program at a local community organization |
| Computer use | $21.00/hour | Rate to use computer with Internet access and standard software at a local copy center |
| Meeting room use | $40.00/hour | Median room rental rate for non-profit, non-resident groups at local community organizations |
| Automotive repair database use | $14.95 | 30-day individual subscription to ChiltonDIY |
| Consumer information database use | $6.95 | Monthly individual subscription to ConsumerReports.org |
| Financial database use | $22.95 | Monthly individual subscription to Morningstar |
| Genealogy database use | $22.95 | Monthly individual membership to Ancestry.com |
| Language learning database use | $179.00 | Introductory cost of a lesson from Rosetta Stone (e.g., Spanish) |
rev. February 2013
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