Value of Library Services

Here at the Amherst Town Library, we like to talk about our “free” materials and services. But in reality, they are not free. They have tremendous value and communities such as Amherst that treasure and support their public libraries have an undeniable competitive edge when it comes to educating their children, increasing their property value, and enhancing their overall quality of life.

How much would you need to pay out-of-pocket if your family purchased these library services in stores? Use our calculator to find out!

Enter the number of times you or your family have used the library services described below. The retail value of each service will be displayed on the right. The total value is calculated at the bottom of the worksheet.

We'd love to hear what you think of the dollar value of your Library usage and of the services that the Library provides. Send us an email.

The calculator worksheet has been adapted from the downloadable 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. This spreadsheet requires either Microsoft Excel or the Excel Viewer.