Library taxes worth every penny
Who loves to pay taxes? Nobody I know, but in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "'In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Looking back at history, it's easy to see the truth here.
What do you get for your library tax dollar? The short answer is, "A lot." But don't take my word for it. Use the Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator (http://www.nsls.info/roi/) developed by staff here at the North Suburban Library System to determine the value of your most recent trip to the library or the aggregated value of your library's usage in the last year.
The ROI Calculator is fun and easy to use. Just go to the Web site noted above and put in the numbers of items you borrowed or used in a recent visit or planned visit. For example, my granddaughters will be visiting soon and I plan to borrow 12 children's books, 5 DVDs, 3 music CDs, and take them to a children's program. I used the ROI Calculator and put in these numbers. The total value was a whopping $253.50, and that's just one visit to my library.
The first thing people ask after they use the ROI Calculator is, "How did you come up with numbers?" NSLS staff went to retail stores, booksellers, video stores and park districts in the community to gather real world prices for books, materials and programs. We plugged in the numbers to the clever computer program devised by other staffers to create the ROI Calculator.
Is NSLS the first to create a ROI calculator? No, and we looked at others' calculators and learned from their efforts. But we like our calculator because it puts a value on many newer items found in libraries including online databases, Internet access, manga and anime. We think this approach is so important that we're making the ROI Calculator available to any library wanting to use it.
For example, go to the Web site of the Ela Area Public Library at www.eapl.org and scroll down to "Dollars and Sense: Why Your Library is a Good Investment." Click on the hot link and you'll get right to the calculator. We're urging all libraries to utilize this tool by putting it on their Web sites and promoting it to their communities. Demonstrating value in this easy to understand, "dollars and sense" way helps libraries show their value.
Actually, your library card is even more valuable than the figure you'll get from using the ROI Calculator. The library offers a lot of intangibles.
First, consider the library staff. They represent a wealth of information on what to read next, getting started on research or using the Internet. Your library has connections. If what you're looking for is not available, staff will help you find the material at another library. Your library speaks your language and can help you find books, online resources and materials in many languages. Increasingly, the library is a community gathering place with programs for all ages or meeting rooms for your group large or small. The library can also be a quiet, neutral space with Wi-Fi access or a fast Internet connection.
What's the most valuable card in your pocket? If you ask me, I'd say it was your library card.
Tune in to my interview with NSLS staffer Anna Yackle for her comments on the development of the ROI Calculator. It's one of the featured stories this month on our award winning cable TV show, "What's New in Libraries?" Go to www.whatsnewinlibraries.org for times and channels in your area.