#local library

[netherworldpost]

The Cold Hearted Amateur Economist Studying the Annual Budget ($113.4 million proposed 2023) for the Chicago Public Library to state "This Is a Stupidly Great Deal."

I am not a professional economist.

To be clear, and to start with, I do not run economic data for real world scenarios for clients or governments or any institutions.

I do run fantasy economic models for fantasy worlds (elves, dwarves, dragons, etc.) for private clients (nerds with more cash than time).

But to be clear I am not a real world economist. So there will be variables I don't know/care about.

The Chicago (hi, I live in Chicago) public library proposed budget

for 2023 is

$113,400,000

(source)

Which is a lot of money, objectively speaking, when you look at it as an annual price tag of "I need $113,400,000. For, um, this year. Next year it'll be more."

In addition to being an amateur economist, as I call myself, because I deal exclusively in fantasy-world economics exclusively

I was a professional graphic designer for many years and have dealt with charts, graphs, information displays, etc.

for a really long time

From the above source, 24.3% (about $27,556,200) is provided by grants, leaving 75.7% (about $85,843,800) to raise.

Still a big chunk of cash.

Damn near $86 million bucks.

That would buy so many zines.

Is it worth it?! LET'S GO BACK TO "I WAS A FORMER GRAPHIC DESIGNER" and dealt with charts and things, a lot, to raise cash for weird projects, a lot.

$85,843,800 (above figure to raise) divided by 365 (sorry leap year, we're being un-generous) is $235,188.49 a day.

Nearly. A quarter. Million dollars. A day.

Wow.

But wait...

...there is more than one person living in Chicago.

Which means that it is NOT a daily bill to ONE person for $235,188.49. It is a daily bill for for 1/2,665,039 PEOPLE, given the city's population.

(source)

To be fair, not everyone pays taxes, for a variety of reasons.

Since I'm not a professional economist, let's be brutally unfair and guess only 1/3 of the city pays taxes. It's far more than that, but, yknow...

...amateur economist privilege.

2,665,039 x 0.33 = 879,462.87... we'll... just round... up... this isn't SAW.

FUN FACT, though! You can borrow SAW from the Chicago Public Library for $0.00!

Resuming the point!

Daily bill of $235,188.49 sent to a collective of 879,463 people whom paying taxes to fund the library using the above math.

(Folks astute in math are going to immediately get my end point that this is cheap)

$235,188.49 (daily budget) divided by 879,463 (people)

is...

$0.26742283643 or rounded up

$0.27 per day.

The Chicago Public Library costs less than $0.30 per day per tax payer to cover the entire city.

Less. Than $0.30. Per day. Per tax payer.

...wow.

You can do similar math by checking your local library's budget and comparing it to your local population and being as ungenerous, or more specific if you wish to get a closer-to-accurate number, when comparing tax payers.

If you want to say "1 out of every 3 people paying taxes is too high" (it's not, but let's just say it is for the sake of furthering my point of "the library is an intensely great deal) and instead... say...

1 out of every 5 people pay taxes

because you want to be a contrarian for whatever personal reasons

1/5 = 20%, 20% of 2,665,039 people is 533,008 (rounded up, per above SAW rules)

$235,188.49 (daily budget) divided by 533,008 (people in this ultra contrarian numbers formula) is $0.44124757977, or, $0.44 per day per tax payer.

Using 1/3 as a tax payer base is extremely low. It's easier math. I chose it to make a point.

Pushing it further to 1/5 as a tax payer base raises the daily cost by ($0.44-0.27) $0.17.

Use your local library. Your literal pocket change pays for it.

This is a "I love the library" post sponsored by the library research I am doing for a private client and work that'll be used for future Netherworld Post releases.

[goblinsstolemybrain]

After many years of not having one (since I was a kid), I've finally got a library card. I've had it for just over a week, and already I've borrowed a handful of audiobooks (listened to one of them), put holds on some eBooks, checked out the books on the shelves, and made use of the study space. And it's all free. FREE.

Folks, we must protect libraries at all costs. They are wonderful places full of magic... And books (okay, so magic and books are the same thing, but you know what I mean).

[libraryofbaxobab]

I'm so happy to see libraries working!

I have been on the waitlist for a book for almost 4 months now. My local library system only had one copy of it & that copy does not appear to have come back.

Generally, items can be checked out for 3 weeks at a time and will only renew if no one else is waiting for it. Something must have happened to this book because it never changed status-- did the last person just never give it back? Was it damaged? Was it lost? Who knows!

Today I checked, and now I see the library system has ordered 4 new copies of this book! That's 5 sales for this author, and 4 of those are in part because of me. And it cost me nothing! I could have been impatient and bought my own copy, but at best that's 2 sales for the author if I don't buy secondhand. Not that I take full credit for all 4 new copies, as there are 6 people currently on the waitlist, but because we increased the demand for this title, someone took notice. And because someone took notice, I benefit, 5 other patrons benefit, the library benefits, and the author benefits.

Can I get a W in the chat for libraries

[jascurka]

Hi I am 22 years old and just finished reading The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren. This book made me feel things.

[chromanticore]

At my local library and they finally started circulating pride stuff.

[jenni3penny]

Right. So. This happened.

[spryhaunch]

normal library-goer

[thechaoticreader]

☀️Come to the Library With Me☀️

[xxxjasontoddxxx]

Anyone else ever think about like.

Your local library?

I love my local library. I go there at least twice a week and I have so many books checked out that it will take me months to finish. But I'm in there so often they just... Don't charge me late fees. 💀

Point being, local libraries are focal points of community, learning, knowledge, and togetherness.

My local library hosts meet ups, community events, crafts, classes and lessons, book clubs, writers clubs, crafting clubs. They have programs for kids AND teens, as well as adults. You can learn English as a second language for FREE at my local library!

I LOVE my library. It stays open because of all of its programs, and we're voting soon on whether or not to expand it. I say we absolutely should! Libraries are essential to the development of life skills, knowledge, and wisdom. Children love libraries! My favorite place to hang out after school was the library, always. I would grab a book and just start reading.

Libraries are SO important to not only me, but to many people who otherwise wouldn't have access to reading material and learning opportunities!

I just love libraries.

[evilwriter37]

Just discovered that my library’s gecko Poppy is having a birthday party tomorrow!!! (Yes, my local library has a gecko. I have yet to meet her, but I want to so badly!)

[openstorygames]

The Library Game is in playtesting and will be releasing in November! Have you ever wanted to understand your local library better? Do you want your kids to be able to find their own books?

Literacy and local libraries are crucial in a time when book bans are increasing.

So get ready for this game, which helps you and your friends learn more about how to find resources within your local library!

Play as an Archetype from Alchemist to Zoologist or anything in between as you solve a problem with a story. But in order to tell your story, you'll need words.

That's where the library comes in!

Browse your library for recommended resources to match the Archetype or find your favorite books, movies, and more to collect interesting words to build your story. By the end, you'll have a fun story and more knowledge about how to find information in your library.

After you play, check out some books, and get reading!

[scienceysideblog]

borrowed this from the library yesterday, there's still a couple of things before it on my to be read but I'm looking forward to it. I'm hoping it might be similar to my favourite science book Rutherford and Fry's guide to absolutely everything (which I still need to make a post about)

[book-a-bilia]

After work visits to the local library!

[dragonsanddustjackets]

i am begging if you have a kindle or use an ereader or read books online in any kind of way please go on libby and register with your local library (if you don’t have a library card, what a good excuse to see if you can sign up online for one or even take a trip!) to see their digital collection. i made a resolution to not buy as many books as i have these past few years and also to support my library more and it was so easy and i’ve already borrowed one book and have another on hold in like ten minutes.

[charliespringsleftconverse]

Pardon if this sounds uneducated but I just saw a posting for the library as a part time and it required a MASTERS degree.

Like. Ma’am. WHAT DO YOU MEAN.

Minimum wage. No benefits. AND YOU NEED A MASTERS???? Blasphemy.

[sonisis]

My inspiration as of late