Library Users, Would You Pay a Fee?

[MIGrandma]

On the news this morning they said libraries in Saginaw are going to start charging an annual fee for borrowing books. $50 per year. Would you pay that?

I don't think I would. I'm not a big library user. I go in spurts, with winter being when I check out the most books. I might pay up to $20/year, but $50 seems like a lot.

 

[NMAmy]

Yes, I would but don't tell my library system. I think they are okay financially--right now they don't even charge late fees for books.

We use the library just about every week and it always makes me very happy to see the parking lot full every day when I drive past.

 

[Sparx]

I wouldn't. I don't think I'd use the library enough in a year for it to be worth 50.00. The only library I use really is the online component of my university's library. The cost for that is included in our tuition. If they started making us pay more for that library the students might just riot.

 

[RitaE]

um, don't I already pay a fee?

The Library District line item on my Property Tax bill sure implies that I do.

 

[mrsv98]

um, don't I already pay a fee?

The Library District line item on my Property Tax bill sure implies that I do.

Same here, in IL the library districts are funded through property taxes so we already pay in some form.

If it was not funded? I don't know, we use it sporadically so we would have to see. Also is it per person or per family? That would be a big difference.

 

[bethbuchall]

I already pay a $25 fee, because I live outside the county which funds the library. It's a payment in lieu of taxes. I would definitely pay $50 and probably up to $100. We use the library a lot. It doesn't take long for all those books to add up if we had to purchase them ourselves, and there are many that we have tried out that we probably wouldn't have if we had to pay per book.

 

[Colleen27]

I would in this specific case, since the fee only applies to people who pay no taxes towards the support of the library. There are some services in our city that work the same way; they're funded with city property taxes, so residents of surrounding townships (who enjoy a significantly lower property tax rate) have to pay a fee if they choose to use those services.

 

[bicker]

I think a big part of the problem, with public libaries, is that they've tried very hard to become far more than just the "essential service" that they started out to be.

For example: I think that libaries can fulfill a valid need for providing some entertainment in their communities, but, for libraries that don't already rely solely on donations for books to serve entertainment needs (and I bet some already do), the extent to which many libraries expend public resources to provide such books has resulted in an arguably unnecessary hit on budgets.

But worse, you go into some (though perhaps not your local) public libraries, today, and you almost get the feeling that you're in a Blockbuster, with a vast array of arguably premium entertainment options. Again (I have to keep reiterating this because otherwise some folks will miss the point ) many libaries already do restrict their expenditures on solely entertainment options/premium entertainment, but the ones that don't, yet, should, and quickly.

Also, while providing public Internet access is critically important IMHO, the use of public Internet access for entertainment purposes has substantially reduced the extent to which that costly service serves the public good.

Now I'm very sure that folks can come to the defense of some of the things I've attacked, above, but in reality that (the fact that so many people choose to come to the defense of those things) is the reason why fees like this get traction. If we cannot come to general agreement bounding the free services of libraries to just some more 1950s version of what would be considered the essentials, then we cannot reasonably expect to get away without big tax increases every year (since the demands for, and costs of, premium services, increase every year), or new fees imposed on everyone (thereby having people who just need essential services subsidizing the non-essential entertainment of others).

 

[NMAmy]

Now that I read an article about it, http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=7394531, I do agree. Our library does charge for those who live outside the district and I believe that is fair.

 

[MarilIncredible]

I wouldn't because I seldom use the library.

 

[EllenFrasier]

On the news this morning they said libraries in Saginaw are going to start charging an annual fee for borrowing books. $50 per year. Would you pay that?

I don't think I would. I'm not a big library user. I go in spurts, with winter being when I check out the most books. I might pay up to $20/year, but $50 seems like a lot.

Yes, it's called "taxes" and I already pay them plenty!

 

[Mickeypooh99]

That is interesting. I bet it won't be long before it happens here too. I would pay the fee, but I would probably only get one card. My kids would have to use mine. I wouldn't pay $50.00 for each of us to have one. Our library belongs to a co op. We can order books from a bunch of area libraries, and they are delivered to our library for us to check out there. Our library is so small we don't have a good selection.

We used to be able to return books to any library in the co op. So if I checked one out in the next town over, I could return it in my town. They just stopped that service. We now must return it to the library we checked it out from. I think they are short on funds.

 

[freckles and boo]

To tell the truth, I have paid more than $50 in overdue fines in the past twelve months. We use our library system all the time, and by system I mean my hometown library is a member of the Metropolitan Library System. This allows access to materials in hundreds of libraries in the area. If $50 is what it would take to keep me in research materials and my kids in books and movies I would think it was a screaming deal.

 

[karibritt01]

I would if given the option. Our library is scheduled to close in August because of budget cuts. We seldom use the library right now, as it is 12 miles away, but I would pay the yearly charge just to keep it open. My son is in middle school now, and the time is not far off when he will need to use the library for school. Once it closes, the next closest one is over 20 miles away.

 

[daughtersrus]

We already pay for our library via our property tax bill. As a matter of fact, a referendum recently passed to build a new building so we're paying even more.

We use the library several times a week not only to borrow books but Wii games, and DVDs. I can't tell you the last time I rented a movie or game from Blockbuster.
Our library belongs to a large group of other libraries. I go online and search for the title I'm looking for and place it on hold. Once it comes in (some are from as away as Iowa), the library calls and we go to pick it up.

Our late fees are still very low (10 Cents a day) and the last Friday of the month is always "Fine Free Friday" so if you return a late item on that day, the waive the fees.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I was going to say that I already pay since I never return books on time. I tell my DW that it's my way of donating extra funds for the Library.

 

[freckles and boo]

I was going to say that I already pay since I never return books on time. I tell my DW that it's my way of donating extra funds for the Library.

I fully expect to see a new wing named after me eventually thanks to my fines.

 

[bicker]

We already pay for our library via our property tax bill. As a matter of fact, a referendum recently passed to build a new building so we're paying even more.

I think in some cases that additional fees are being considered where the library line-item in municipal budgets are lower than what is necessary to provide all the services that the library provides. So effectively, taxpayers pay a portion for their library via taxes -- essentially paying taxes to have the option available to them, and more comprehensively, available to the members of their community -- and then would pay extra to avail themselves of that option.

 

[bookgirl]

I am at a branch of a large county system. We charge $40, for an annual fee card to those who are out of county. But that covers the whole household.

You would not believe the number of people from out of county or who cannot provide proff of residency, who come in and just rail on us because we deny them a free card. Sorry. However we will give day passes for the internet to anyone with ID and our programing is free to anyone with or without a card.

We will give a free card to students or teachers at in county schools and universities. That is just a courtesy card, however we've had a ton of homeschoolers who live out of county complain that since they choose to home school, they should get a free card as well since the "could" attend a school in county. (my branch is in a town that is in the county but it's school district actually extends over the county line) This year we're letting them just show proof of residency in a school district, but they keep pushing the line wanting more and more free services and we may have to do away with the courtesy school cards and start making the school kids from out of county pay the annual fee.

Not all libraries are tax funded. Some cities have really small populations and are just city branches or regional. These don't often get ad valorm monies. I can totally see them charging a fee and have no problem with it. However I would not agree to a user fee if they are a resident of the county who is already paying taxes towards the library.

 

[lillygator]

no I wouldn't pay an annual fee.