Without comment, Roy Lewis in Garland, Texas, was nice enough to pass on a means to compare the library systems of Dallas and the suburb of Plano for 2002, the latest year available this way.
Dallas spent $21.35 per capita in total operating expenses and $2.99 for library materials (14 percent of opp expenses), while Plano spend $38.64 per capita in total operating expenses and $4.57 on materials (12 percent). And remember. The materials expenses presumably include everything from Shakespeare to VCR cassettes, not just books. In both cases, the percentages may well be in line with the 9 percent that British libraries reportedly are spending on books.
Which of the two Texas library districts mentioned would you like your child to grow up in? Time for a well-stocked national digital library system to help narrow the gaps and increase the actual percentage of material spent on content, especially books? In case you’re tuning in late, see Library palaces vs. a child-friendly neighborhood approach.
