What's a Library Worth?

There's a really great article in today's Globe and Mail by Vincent Lam that discusses a library's worth in the wake of proposed budget cuts to the Toronto Public Library.

Among his arguments against the cuts Lam asks:

Where would the 10-per-cent budget cuts come from, anyhow? Would it be from your library's settlement and housing seminars for newcomers to Canada? From the library's workshops on resumes and interviewing skills for those seeking employment? Perhaps some brave councillor would like to explain the axing of Homework Help for Teens, a free evening tutoring program, or the popular Business Seminar Series, which helps new entrepreneurs get off the ground?

Lam goes on to point out that the cost of running one of the busiest library systems in the world costs each Toronto citizen only 19 cents per day (or $68 per year); compared to $1 per day for the Toronto Police Service and 37 cents for Waste Management.

Lam's arguments are engaging and convincing and demonstrate some excellent examples of how we could be talking about the worth of libraries. I'd encourage you to give the full article a read at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/modern-citizens-know-a-librarys-worth/article2147704/