[QUOTE=Andrew H.;2719056]True about the subsidy, although more people use the library than I would have thought.
Here's a document from my library's 2012 budget proposal:
http://www.imcpl.org/files/8713/3242...etProposal.pdf
That data used in the proposal is from 2010, but if you dig down, it's pretty interesting. The total population served is 875,000. Of these, 550,000 have a library card, and 180,000 used the card in the previous 12 months.
There were other interesting tidbits - 5 million patron visits annually; 65% of the items checked out are books; 0.5% of items checked out were "downloadables" (remember the data are from 2010); the meeting rooms were used for 4,100 meetings of non-profit groups (and 91 for-profit groups); library programs for juveniles attracted 200,000 attendees.
Wow. Those people do great reports. And they have IMO a superior website.
Seems that average books borrowed in 2010 was slightly over 2 per patron and makes up 2/3 of overall borrowing. (I borrow several a week but probably 2 a year is more typical)
Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library fees for out of state patrons are $65 a year which seems more than reasonable.
Thanks for the link.
Helen