Find Your Joy - National Library Week 2026
National Library Week (April 19-25) highlights the valuable role libraries and library professionals play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities. This year’s theme is “Find Your Joy.” My joy is borrowing books, attending programs, and connecting with others. Did you know that you can calculate the value of the resources and services offered by libraries?
As I frequently borrow books from the Chicago Public Library and attend programs generally at the Edgewater Branch, I was curious to discover that there is a calculator to find out what the library is worth to you.
It automatically determines the value of the number of books, movies, computer visits, or any other resources you borrowed. For example, a book is valued at $17, a paperback is valued at $7, movies are valued at $5, and computer usage is valued at $12 per hour.
Since my borrowing history is saved on the Chicago Public Library’s website, it was easy to input the numbers for books, movies, interlibrary loans, and audiobooks that I borrowed so far this year, as well as the number of times I reserved meeting rooms and attended programs. In just 4 ½ months, the value of books and services I received was calculated at $863.
What’s the library worth to you?
By Joanne Kitsos
Friends of the Edgewater Library
Communications Committee co-chair
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