IN CASE YOU MISSED IT - Secretary Detzner in The Orlando Sentinel: “Libraries boost communities' economy”

Read the full op-ed here, excerpt included below:

The public library is a place of learning, a hub for educational resources and a community center. Children discover new worlds as they're read to, young adults learn new skills and librarians assist patrons needing educational or business support.

Not only have libraries historically proved to be beneficial to the areas they serve, a recent return on investment study conducted by the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development, University of West Florida, provides the hard numbers demonstrating the economic value of public libraries. The overall return on investment that libraries offer, the business and educational support that is provided, and the essential services provided show that libraries are not only places of learning, but they add economic value to their local communities.

For every $1 Floridians invest in Florida public libraries, they receive $10.18 in economic return. This means that with nearly $500 million of public money invested into Florida public libraries during fiscal year 2012, more than $5.55 billion was returned to Floridians in economic value. Public libraries have historically been places where families can learn, students can do research, and job seekers can find opportunities, and the money invested into these respected institutions is returned more than tenfold.

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