Study tells us what the library's worth

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE MARIE PUBLIC LIBRARY

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On September 28 the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library Board with Dr. Gayle Broad from the NORDIK Institute unveiled the report on the value of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library at the Centennial Library. 

Entitled Building Strong and Vibrant Communities: The Value of Sault Ste. Marie’s Public Library, the report is based on previous research performed in Australia, the UK and Canada and uses industry standard economic formulae to show the benefits that the library provides to the community it serves.  

The study has been able to determine that the total value of all services and programs the library provides to the community is worth $4,608,690. 

The value of programming for children developed and delivered at the library provides a social economic return of just over $248,000. 

The study also found that the adult and senior programs provide over $55,000 in benefit and the teen programs provide over $12,000. 

In looking at how well our collections are used by our community in 2014, 417,000 items were borrowed from the library which is equivalent to each household in Sault Ste. Marie checking out 20 items last year. 

Breaking it down even further this works out to 6 items checked out by every single person in our community.  

In the final analysis the NORDIK Institute found that for every dollar invested in the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library there is 236% return. 

The report also found that the value of every open hour supporting the community’s over health and well-being through early childhood development, increased literacy and decreased social isolation is $603.  

This report is available for viewing on the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library’s website at ssmpl.ca.

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