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About Us
- About Us - Overview
- Administration
- 2011 Annual Report to the Community
- Board of Trustees
- Community Partner Links
- Contact Us
- Customer Satisfaction Survey
- Employment
- E-newsletter
- FAQ
- Pierce County Library Foundation
- Friends of the Library
- National Medal for Museum and Library Service
- News Releases
- Pierce County Library 2030 - Facilities Master Plan
- Policies
- Re-authorized Levy
- Social Media
- Volunteering
Being a Good Steward of Taxpayers' Dollars
Library's annual budget and cost comparisons of library to retail.
Property taxes fund approximately 97% of the Library’s services. In 2010 the Library System’s total revenues and expenditures were $28.6 million.
The Library’s Board of Trustees approved a 2010 operating budget of $28,639,318 and $3,708,211 for capital improvements. In 2010 the economic downturn showed an impact on the Library’s budget, with assessed property values down throughout the Library’s service area. Also, consistent with recent years, the Library continues to project that revenue will not keep up with the cost to run the Library System.
In 2010, on average, residents in the Library’s service area invested $132 in their library. Check out the comparison of that investment to average annual retail costs for the same annual service:
Retail Cost
- High speed Internet: $720
- 12 new hardback books: $300
- 24 new paperback books: $120
- 48 movie rentals: $48
- Computer (averaged over 3 years): $250
- Magazine subscriptions: $ 25
- 24 downloaded audiobooks/e-books: $240
Total Annual Retail Costs $1,703/household
$132 vs. $1,703
