Individual Return on Investment Calculator

Which Colorado library do you visit?

Please enter the number of times you use the following library services each *month*
Your Use	Library Services	Value of Services
	Books Borrowed per Month	$
	Magazines Borrowed per Month	$
	Videos Borrowed per Month	$
	Audio Books Borrowed per Month	$
	In-Library Magazine Use per Month	$
	Interlibrary Loans per Month	$
	Meeting Rooms Use (Hours per Month)	$
	Program/Class Attended per Month - Adult	$
	Program/Class Attended per Month - Child	$
	Computer Use (Hours per Month)	$
	Databases Used per Month (Number of Separate Databases)	$
	Reference Questions Asked per Month	$
Value you receive monthly from your library:		$
For every $1.00 in taxes you invest in your library, you receive $ of value in return*

Where did these numbers come from?
Typical taxpayer contributions are determined from the library's 2008 local income per capita. For libraries in Colorado, this can be found at http://www.lrs.org/pub_stats.php. We borrowed value of library service figures from Maine State Library's Library Use Value Calculator. For more information, see their explanation.

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Feel free to copy and paste code from this calculator to create your own. Code can be found here

LRS Conversation

Let us know what you think...

Very thankful the library is here.especially when I don't have my laptop with me.

posted by Vicki on 2010-05-18

I should use the library more often than I do, yet thankful that it is there when I need it.

posted by Tamara on 2010-05-06

We're so lucky to have Longmont Library!

posted by Pat Sernyak on 2010-02-27

WOW! That is eye-opening. I have to say the library is my favorite organization!!

posted by Yazmin Coveney on 2010-02-17

wow. thats a cool service and really interesting to know. i read so many books each month and i didnt realize the value.

posted by k.l. on 2009-08-03

Books on various subjects: $70.

Educational videos to keep the kids quiet while I read: $16.

Live music performed while I look for the other stuff: $10.

Hearing a grumpy guy complain about having to pay taxes on his property while he's in line to check out a 3 foot tall stack of books: priceless.

posted by Jack on 2009-07-31

I would like to see a calculator like this for other services as well. We all hate paying taxes, but the fact is, many of the best services in our community would not exist without them. It would be helpful, too, for allocation of future resources.

posted by L. Foster on 2009-07-03

Our libraries are a great value. These numbers are only a small part of the picture. We really get so much more, especially for our children.

posted by Lynne on 2009-06-29

Hey This is really interesting I never thought the library could have this much Value

posted by Bidkar Acosta on 2009-06-03

I wish we could get a calculator like this for all public services to help people see the positive or negative value of things that their taxes are going toward.

posted by Maureen Carter on 2009-01-29

thanks

posted by Gail Broyles on 2008-06-12

Yet another reason libraries are great!

posted by Abhi on 2008-03-01

Thank you for having a great library in Castle Rock.

posted by on 2008-03-01

WOW! I love putting a number on a service...especially when it is my tax dollars being spent. Try that on something else I pay tases for!

posted by Jean Lewis on 2008-02-17