Library Use Value Calculator Explanations of Values
The cost figures for library services were derived by the Massachusetts Library Association based on the table below:
Library Service |
Value of Service |
Based On |
Adult Books Borrowed |
$17.00 |
Amazon.com average price |
Young Adult Books
Borrowed |
$12.00 |
Amazon.com average price |
Children Books
Borrowed |
$17.00 |
Amazon.com average price |
Movies Borrowed |
$4.00 |
Estimated Netflix average |
Audiobooks
Borrowed/Downloaded |
$9.95 |
Audible.com download average |
Music CDs Borrowed |
$9.95 |
iTunes download album average |
Songs Downloaded |
$1.00 |
Estimated Value |
eBooks Downloaded |
$15.00 |
Estimated B&N/Amazon average |
Magazines
Borrowed/Downloaded
|
$5.00 |
Estimated purchase price average |
Newspapers Read |
$9.50 |
New York Times subscription (outside city) |
Interlibrary Loan
Requests |
$25.00 |
Amazon.com average price plus shipping |
Adult Programs
Attended |
$15.00 |
Entertainment/program admission fee -
estimated average per adult |
Young Adult Programs
Attended |
$12.00 |
Entertainment/program admission fee -
estimated average per youth |
Children's Programs
Attended |
$7.00 |
Entertainment/program admission fee -
estimated average per child |
Museum Passes
Borrowed |
$30.00 |
Museum admission fee - estimated average for a
family of four |
Meeting Room Use
(per hour) |
$25.00 |
Estimated value |
Computer Use
(per hour) |
$18.00 |
FedEx/Kinkos price |
Database Searches |
$19.95 |
Average cost for online article search |
Reference Assistance |
$7.00 |
Average library cost |