For every dollar St. Marys invested in its library last year, users saw $4.50 in social benefits

St. Marys Public Library presents results of 2024 Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit

The 2024 results for the St. Marys Public Library from the Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit.

By Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

According to a recent report, for every dollar spent by the Town of St. Marys on the town’s library, users of the library saw $4.50 in social benefits last year and the library generated more than $2.7 million in economic benefits for the town and the surrounding area.

To help council and residents better understand the social return on investment (ROI) generated by the local library, representatives from the St. Marys Public Library and the library board shared the results of the 2024 Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit (VOLT) at the July 22 St. Marys council meeting.

“The Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit is a way that libraries can now communicate with both their councils and the public as a way of explaining the social return on investment into libraries,” library CEO Sarah Andrews said. “The St. Marys Public Library offers the community a wide range of rich services and contributes to the community in a whole variety of ways. Our work is guided by our strategic plan and our five strategic pillars which are building strong community, diverse and accessible collections, dynamic and accessible spaces, fun and inclusive programs and services, and engaging and supportive lifelong learning.”

Displayed as part of an infographic presented to council at the July 22 meeting, the St. Marys Public Library served a population of 7,386 people last year with a municipal contribution of $589,217 and a provincial operating grant of $10,083. The library was visited in person 55,021 times in 2024 – roughly 21 times per hour open – and the library’s online databases and catalogue were visited 57,589 times.

Library workstations were used approximately 2,508 times in 2024 and the library’s mobile WiFi units were borrowed 63 times, with staff providing technical assistance to patrons roughly 416 times. With programs available that support literacy, makers, education and newcomers, 5,757 people attended 353 free programs last year.

Based on the social ROI calculations included as part of VOLT, the library provided nearly $2.3 million in entertainment and leisure to library users through access to its collections for those who read for pleasure and through its programs. Meanwhile, the availability of meeting space, seating and the value of in-person visits at the library was calculated at $224,518 in social ROI.

“There were not a lot of rentals at the library in 2024 due to the space being used for other things, but 2025 has already been a very busy year for meeting-room use, so there will be a growth in (social ROI for library space) year over year,” Andrews said.

With collection materials and workstations accessible to a wide variety of people, the report shows a social ROI for inclusion and wellbeing at the library last year of $126,621. Social ROIs were also calculated across a number of other categories including:

• Educational development: $474,723

• Civic engagement: $165,388

• Cultural and regional identity: $234,737

• Local economic development: $657,891

The 2024 VOLT results also showed a benefit of $1,289 per household or $561 per resident of St. Marys in 2024, as well as a benefit of $1,052 per hour open.

“Although this tool is very helpful for communities to communicate the social return on investment, it’s not really intended for comparison between municipalities,” Andrews said. “However, I did want to give you a sense of Stratford’s (social ROI). Where our number comes in at $4.50 for each dollar invested, Stratford’s comes in at about $6.64 per dollar invested. However, remember that Stratford’s population is 27,000 people greater, they receive $40,000 more from the province through their operating grant and they invested $2.4 million more into library services. … Still, our numbers are excellent.”

“I think that the numbers that Sarah’s gone through show the impact that this little library has on our town,” said St. Marys library board chair Cole Atlin. “It’s significant and it’s a time sort of for us to brag and say, ‘Look at what we have achieved. Look at what we can do with what you guys give us every year.’ It’s paying dividends in our community.”

While last year’s numbers did not include Perth South’s contributions to the library or users from that township because of a funding dispute that resulted in Perth South residents losing access to library services offered by St. Marys, Mayor Al Strathdee suggested the library share the results of VOLT from 2024 to help Perth South staff, council and residents understand the true value of the St. Mary Public Library.