How much would you pay out-of-pocket for your library services?
The calculator worksheet has been adapted from original downloadable spreadsheet 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.
The retail values of each individual service were provided by the Maine State Library, and represent estimated or average costs for library resources and services. For example, they used an average between hardcover and paperback prices for adult and childrens books from online retailers to arrive at average prices for those categories. They also relied on the Library and Book Trade Almanac for other print material prices. The numbers were last updated in 2014. Prices may have changed since that time, and there may also be regional differences that would affect the costs experienced by individual libraries in other states.
