Our community is currently in the process of identifying and evaluating the services New Hanover County provides. We thought it would be beneficial to share just a few facts and figures on why we believe our library matters to you:

·         Last year our library checked out over 1.3 million items. At an average discounted book price of $14.94, this represents a savings to the book buying public of over 19 million dollars.

·         Over 300,000 people asked for additional information while visiting the library. Access to free information helps ensure an informed public, an essential component of our democracy.

·         36,218 people attended a library program, many of which are specifically designed to engage children 5 and under. Exposure to books through story-times is one recognized way of providing children with an early educational foundation.

·         Over 87,553 citizens attended a meeting held in one of a dozen free meeting rooms. Cost of meeting space can vary, but at a cost of just $5 per person, taxpayers saved over $400,000.

·         69,400 database searches were conducted by individuals accessing millions of dollars worth of fee based services such as Morningstar, Value-line, Ancestry  Plus, and Live Homework Help.

·         157,717 people signed on to a free public access computer. Many of these users searched for and filled out job applications, completed a homework assignment, or corresponded to a serviceman overseas.

All of this and much, much, more are provided to the over 800,000 people who visit one of our 4 conveniently located libraries for less than 1.5 % of the total County’s operating budget. If you have questions or would like more information on library services feel free to email me directly at htuchmayer@nhcgov.com or call us at 910-798-6309.