If you’ve ever wondered about the value of the Champaign Public Library, there’s now an easy way to quantify it.
Printed at the bottom of a check-out receipt is the amount of money you’ve “saved” by using the library’s materials.
“It’s based on the cost of the items,” said the library’s promotions manager, Evelyn Shapiro. The cost of a book is determined by the figure that’s associated with the International Standard Book Number.
The receipt notes how much money you saved during this visit to the library as well as the total amount saved in the past year.
It should be acknowledged that “saved” is a relative term. According to the library’s website, 5.3 percent of a Champaign resident’s property taxes goes to the library. Thus, if your annual property tax bill is, say, $2,800, you would need to check out about $140 in items to recoup your dollars, or roughly seven books.
Given how many people — especially families — use the library far more than that, it’s easy to see why social media has been buzzing about the figures printed on those receipts.
“I’ve seen some chatter on social media,” Shapiro said. “People were enjoying it.”
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