Public libraries charging fees
With the economic downturn, a lot of public libraries are pressed for funding.
All this is a good thing, and a far cry from the situation during the housing boom of a the early 2000's when a lot of libraries took on debt and expanded.
- Some have cut services, others have closed.
- In California, a $80 "out-of-county fee" has gone into effect.
- In Wisconsin, they're considering charging for CDs and DVDs
- In Topeka, they're adding late fees where they had none
- In Ridgewood, they will charge businesses (like tutors) who use their meeting rooms
- Prescott, Arizona is discussing usage fees
- A quote from a director of the American Library Association, says
Selected ALA members will begin charging an annual fee of $10 for each issued library card. Each borrowed book will cost $1 and we think that’s fair. Use of a whole book for more than a week, well it’s quite fair when one considers the retail cost avoided
All this is a good thing, and a far cry from the situation during the housing boom of a the early 2000's when a lot of libraries took on debt and expanded.
I hope it sticks.
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