A recent post by Oleg Kagan, writer, librarian, and Managing Editor of EveryLibrary Medium Magazine, discusses the incredibly good ROI of public libraries. It’s absolutely true: as Oleg confirms, research shows that, in the U.S., for every dollar communities invest in their public library, they get $5 (or more) in return in the form of library services.
For under ten dollars you get thousands of books, music, movies, wholesome activities for kids, very expensive market research databases, and a much, much more.
Oleg Kagan – The Return on Investment from Your Public Library is Unbelievable!
Here in Canada, the research produces similar results: of the 16 public library systems who have conducted economic impact studies, the library delivers between $3 and $8 for every dollar invested.
With a return this good, surely public libraries are more than worth the investment.
