Burlington Library users saved $22 million last year

NEWS RELEASE
BURLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Burlington Public Library customers saved a total of $22,976,214 by borrowing books and other items from the library in 2023. The Library shared this exciting achievement in its recently-published annual report. This number climbs even higher when you capture the savings benefits of digital books, online resources, and free programs offered by BPL.

Good old-fashioned print books continue to be popular among library users, despite increasing interest in online reading. The Burlington community borrowed more than one million physical books from their Library last year—the most ever in the BPL’s history.

“We’re seeing borrowing in record-breaking numbers, which reflects what the library means to the community and our shared love of reading,” said Lita Barrie, Chief Executive Officer at Burlington Public Library. “Libraries continue to be a critical resource for information, discovery, and connecting with the community. Thank you to everyone who visited and borrowed from the library last year to make this possible.”

Individual Library customers can see how much they have saved when they checkout physical items from their local BPL branch—savings totals are calculated and printed on checkout receipts.

Your Library’s Impact

The Library’s impact extends beyond borrowing—in 2023, the Library created more than $56,681,235 in economic impact for the Burlington community. This is nearly five times the yearly amount the City of Burlington contributes to BPL’s annual operating budget. For each Burlington resident, BPL provided $303 in economic value in 2023.

More to Love at the Library

Burlington Public Library’s annual report also includes highlights of offerings it added in 2023, including the opening of the reading garden at Central Branch, a new puzzle collection to borrow, and the launch of the Burlington Digital Archive with free access to digitized local history materials.

Your library card opens the door to a world of information, imagination, and entertainment. The library is free to join if you live, work, go to school, or pay property taxes in Burlington. You can register for a digital card online, or visit one of our branches.

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