Here at Airdrie Public Library (APL), part of our mission is to provide free-of-charge access to literacy materials and programming.
That means equitable access for patrons of all ages to the nearly 80,000 items at the library and the millions available online through our website.
One of the greatest benefits of this is to parents, who know that raising a literate child can be expensive. According to a study in the online financial magazine MoneySense, as of 2022, it costs at least $282,000 to raise a child until the age of 18. That’s around $15,600 per year – and it's only going to rise with inflation.
A small part of that cost is in developing a lifelong appreciation for literacy in your child, and this is where your free library card has a significant impact.
For instance, a family of four that borrows 300 library items per year will save between $4,000 and $6,000 in the cost of books, digital downloads, and the many other items that APL loans out. In these tough economic times, that’s no small thing.
To learn how much you save when borrowing items from APL, look at your receipt when you check out. The numbers on that little slip of paper includes the money saved that day, the amount in the current year, and in the lifetime amount saved thanks to your library membership.
However, the benefits of a library membership extend far beyond financial savings. Your library card provides access to a lifetime of learning through in-person programming, workshops, and literacy-based events.
Not only that, while inflation may take a bite out of your paycheck, year after year, your library continues to provide free access to the important building blocks in your literacy journey.
So, the next time you borrow items, look at your checkout receipt and see how much you’ve saved.
For more information on the benefits of your library card, visit airdriepubliclibrary.ca
