Texas Public Libraries Generate Billions in Economic Impact, Study Says

A new statewide study examining the economic impacts of public libraries has revealed they have generated over $3.8 billion in value to local communities — a return of $4.74 for every $1 invested. The report, “Beyond the Stacks: Measuring the Economic and Community Value of Texas Public Libraries,” was conducted by third-party consultancy JBK Economics Group in partnership with the Texas Library Association. About 300 of the total 513 public libraries in Texas participated in a survey for the report.

A major finding from the survey revealed that public libraries create billions in economic value for the communities they serve at a fraction of what it costs to pay employee wages and benefits, operating expenditures, and capital expenditures. About 11,200 jobs were directly and indirectly supported by public libraries. The report calculated its $4.74 to $1 ratio by adding up the total value of the services provided by these institutions (an estimated $2.48 billion) and comparing it to total expenditures ($808.6 million).

The report noted that public libraries had about the same economic footprint as the Texas motion picture and sound recording industry ($2.9 billion in Gross Domestic Product in 2024) or the Texas paper manufacturing industry ($4.0 billion in Gross Domestic Product in 2024).

While many Austinites are familiar with Austin Public Library’s expansive catalog and programming, there are numerous services the library provides that might go unnoticed, including bike tool rentals, seed libraries, an innovation lab for creative tech pursuits, access to subscription-based research databases and news outlets, and more. Individual branches also offer free Wi-Fi, computer access, and meeting spaces.

Survey results indicate that Texas public libraries commonly provide a range of additional services and partnerships: 93 percent provide voter registration and/or serve as voting locations, 84 percent partner with local social services agencies, 82 percent offer job application assistance, 68 percent facilitate applications for government benefits, 38 percent provide on-site social services, and 30 percent offer telehealth rooms and/or resources.

“Public libraries are practical, welcoming and rooted in the communities they serve — they are unmistakably Texan,” said Texas Library Association executive director Shirley Robinson in a press release. “This study puts a dollar value on the opportunities libraries create every day. Whether someone visits a library to apply for a job, access the internet, learn a new skill or simply find a new favorite book, those services create real value for Texans and their communities.”