If you’ve checked anything out from HCPL recently, you’ve probably noticed something on your receipt: a price. Don’t worry, the library isn’t charging you anything. It’s letting you know how much money you’ve saved by borrowing books instead of buying them.
Since I started at HCPL, my reading has increased...a lot...like, a ridiculous amount. More than it would have if I were limited to buying books. So, I got to wondering just how much I’ve saved so far.
This would require math. A lot of it. But I was willing to do it.
HCPL account features to organize your past, present and future reading
You might be wondering how I could remember all the books I’ve read over the past 18 months. Well, I didn’t; I used the “My Library Dashboard” function on my HCPL account. To keep track of what I’ve already read and what I want to read next, I use the handy “For Later,” “In Progress,” and “Completed” categories.
You can see a picture of my current dashboard to the right.
While it seems like a lot, not every book I’ve read is included in the "Completed" section; some I didn’t finish, and others I simply forgot to add because they were a spontaneous checkout. I won’t include all 221 books in this calculation, either. Some I liked enough to actually buy, which means I didn’t actually save money by reading it at the library. I just delayed my spending. So, 221 is more like 204.
Here are a few more things to keep in mind before I reveal the grand total of savings:
1. None of the books were audiobooks (which are more expensive than physical books)
2. Most of them were recent releases at the time of reading (a little more expensive than mass-market books, which are cheaply published in high numbers)
3. Most were hardcover (way more expensive than paperback)
Got all that? Keeping it fresh in your mind?
Great.
I saved a grand total: $4,572.13
That’s right. I’ve read over four thousand dollars worth of books in two years. That’s an average of $20.40 per book.
If we’re only looking at my reading in 2024, I saved $2,918.99.
If you’re like me, you’re feeling a phantom pain at the mere idea of spending that much money on anything. Your wallet is jerking awake from a horrifically realistic nightmare, haunted by what could have been. Your bank account is breathing a sigh of untold relief. Your anxiety is forcing itself to calm down as you realize the number isn’t real---it can’t hurt you.
Here’s the thing: that’s just what I’ve saved so far. There’s no telling how much I’ll save as I keep reading, and boy, am I going to keep reading. There are too many books to read and too little time to read them to slow down now.
How much did you save?
If you also want to figure out how much you've saved this year at the library, here's a handy website from Syracuse University for just that. Not only does it calculate savings from checkouts, it also calculates savings from attending programs, printing, and computer usage.
Save on more than just books
Did you know you can also save on streaming services like Netflix and Spotify? Your library card comes with free access to Kanopy for movies, Freegal for music, and Flipster for magazines!
But even if you're just here for the books, I bet you're still saving more than you think. So, I’ll go back to reading and leave you with one question: how much can you read when you don’t have to worry about your wallet? Ready to find out? Here’s some of my favorite 2024 books to get you started.
When the Angels Left the Old Country
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