What Does the Library Mean to You, Part II

The library is more than just fun and games . . . well, we do have a lot of fun. In fact, last year 1,636 teens (that means you - and you are cool) attended programs or participated in contests. There were 704 ballots turned in as a part of our Teen Summer Reading Club, which means that in just 6 weeks you guys got together and read 704 books. And one lucky teen won our Grand Prize - a personal DVD player. (This year's Grand Prize is your choice of either an iPod touch or a Wii).

And you say you don't like to read - but there were 5,959 books checked out of our teen area. If you figure the average cost of a book is $10.00* - well, that means that Marion Public Library saved the teens in our community $59,590.00. You don't have that chunk of change just sitting around in your piggy bank, do you? And really, we all know that you read more than that because you check out books from the J area - and lots of adult fiction (Stephen King, Dean Koontz, vampire books, Danielle Steel, and more vampire books.)

Plus, you have the cost of free food at our programs (free to you, not us), prizes! prizes! and even more prizes! - and well, that all adds up like this:

Cost of Books for Teens: Over $100,000

Cost of Programs and Services**: A lot (and paid for in part by the Friends of the Marion Public Library).

Marion Public Library in the life of Teens: PRICELESS***

Thank you all for your support. I hope we can keep rocking out in the future.

* Okay, in truth - the cost of a paperback is anywhere from $5.99 to $15.95 and the cost of a hardback book is anywhere from $15.95 to $29.95. But $10.00 is a very easy number to multiply by (what - I rock at a lot, but not necessarily math.)

** Last year's program highlights include a special Twilight screening, Free Comic Book Day, Teen Read Week, the Teen Summer Reading Club, craft programs, and of course - Teen CoffeeHouse, where about 70 of us hang out each week to eat and play games.

*** And yes, I ripped off the MasterCard add. It's not like you haven't done it before, at least in your head.