Value Calculator


		Search Terms Search Type Quick Find

Calculate the Value of Your Library Use

How much would the services of your public library cost if you had to pay for them directly? Use this calculator to estimate the value of your library use.

Enter in the left hand column the number of times per year you or your family use each service.
Estimated retail value of each service will be calculated on the right.
Total annual value of your library use is shown at the bottom of the worksheet.
Tip: Tab between entries and do not use commas.

Your Use	Library Services	Value of Services
	Books borrowed	$
	Audiobooks borrowed	$
	Movies borrowed	$

	Music CDs borrowed	$
	Magazines read	$
	Newspapers read	$

	Museum Adventure Passes borrowed	$
	Interlibrary Loan requests	$
	Adult programs and classes attended	$

	Teen program attended	$
	Children's programs attended	$
	Group Study Room use in hours	$

	Computer use in hours (Internet, word processing, etc.)	$
	Online Tools used (databases, newspapers, journals, etc.)	$
	Information and Reference Questions asked	$

Value of Your Library Use:		$

The calculator worksheet has been adapted from the spreadsheet originally provided by the Massachusetts Library Association and then adapted for the web by Chelmsford Public Library. Maine State Library added extra accessibility coding and reformatting for ease of reading online.

How These Values Were Calculated

Item	Estimated Retail Value	Values Explained
Book borrowed	$15.00	Estimated average discount cost of hardcover and paperback books
Audiobook borrowed	$3.50	Weekly rental price at Cracker Barrel
Movie borrowed	$4.00	Sample rental cost of DVD at national chain store

Music CD borrowed	$10.00	Estimated purchase cost of popular music CD
Magazine read	$2.00	Estimated purchase cost of popular magazine issue
Newspaper read	$0.50	Estimated purchase cost of newspaper issue

Museum Adventure Passes borrowed	$16.00	Average admissions for groups of 2 to 4 to participating museums or Brookfield Zoo
Interlibrary Loan request	$25.00	Average cost for loans in Illinois
Adult program or class attended	$10.00	Estimate

Teen program attended	$6.00	Estimate
Children program attended	$6.00	Estimate
Group Study Room use per hour	$10.00	Estimate

Computer use per hour	$12.00	Sample hourly rate at copy center
Online Tool used	$20.00	Minimum cost for monthly access to sample online tool
Information and Reference Question asked	$7.00	Estimated cost per question

Calculate the Value of Your Library Use

Your Use

Library Services

Value of Services

How These Values Were Calculated

Item

Estimated Retail Value

Values Explained

Value of
Services

Estimated
Retail Value