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Should Public Libraries Charge Borrowers?

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boswellbaxter
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Should Public Libraries Charge Borrowers?

Post by boswellbaxter » Fri June 25th, 2010, 4:24 pm

I saw this article about a proposal by historical mystery author Michael Jecks and thought it posed an interesting question about whether public libraries should charge borrowers:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/news/19858 ... aries.html
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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Fri June 25th, 2010, 4:44 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]I saw this article about a proposal by historical mystery author Michael Jecks and thought it posed an interesting question about whether public libraries should charge borrowers:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/news/19858 ... aries.html[/quote]

What do you do? If you start charging even a nominal sum, it can put people off using their library altogether, but again, spending cuts are to be abhorred too. Libraries in the UK are always the soft targets that get hit first when belt tightening has to happen. I wouldn't object to paying a small sum to borrow a book, but I can see for many that it would be the thin end of the wedge and it might be a dangerous road to go down.
I do tend to use a private subscription library which costs me around £1.50 a week. I do it because it's there in my city centre and it's a beautiful, beautiful place with a special ambiance. It's not just about the books, although it has a terrific selection. It's about the history too.

Edited to ask about libraries around the world. Are they free in your country wherever you are, or do you have to pay for them, and who funds them?
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Post by boswellbaxter » Fri June 25th, 2010, 5:10 pm

My county library is free. The local branch circulates a very high volume of children's books--I've seen mothers check out over 30 books at a time for their broods. Most at this branch, I suspect, could afford a small fee and would probably pay it in lieu of having to buy all of those books, but some of the branches in poorer parts of the county would probably find themselves losing borrowers.

I pay a fee to borrow from two of the university libraries near me, and it's well worth it. I would be willing to pay a reasonable inter-library loan fee if the county library charged one, but probably not to use the county library's general collection unless the selection of books was vastly improved.
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Michy
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Post by Michy » Fri June 25th, 2010, 5:17 pm

Here in the States, public libraries are county entities, which means they're funded through county taxes. Which consist primarily of taxes on real property, taxes on unsecured personal property (paid by businesses), and a portion of the sales taxes. I would have a problem with libraries charging a fee; I already pay enough in property and sales taxes, believe me!

Note: the conditions I've described above may not apply in all 50 states, I'm not sure.

EC2, you mentioned a private, for-fee library you use. I've never heard of anything like that in the States. Has anyone else?

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Post by boswellbaxter » Fri June 25th, 2010, 5:32 pm

[quote=""Michy""]H
EC2, you mentioned a private, for-fee library you use. I've never heard of anything like that in the States. Has anyone else?[/quote]


There are some in the US:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/busin ... gewanted=1
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Post by Divia » Fri June 25th, 2010, 5:43 pm

As stated above this wouldn't fly in the US since we pay for library services through our tax dollars. However, if someone wnated to join a memeber library that's different.
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Post by LoveHistory » Fri June 25th, 2010, 6:02 pm

I don't think public libraries should start charging a fee for the simple reason that even though the fee would start small, it would inevitably go up and they would price themselves right out of being useful.

Subscription libraries exist and are a wonderful idea. I wouldn't mind joining one. But they are, and should remain, separate from public libraries.

Edited to add: our local library gets extra funding through donations, endowments, fees for using their copier, etc. They are now resurfacing DVDs; don't know if they are charging for that but it would be ok by me if they do.

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Post by sweetpotatoboy » Fri June 25th, 2010, 6:25 pm

I would be against making a compulsory charge. People already assume they are paying for it through taxes, which they are.

It's a bit of a free-for-all in the UK, with each library system having its rules and charges, but most libraries do charge for extra services, such as borrowing CDs/DVDs, Internet use etc. Some charge to reserve a book and of course there are fines for overdue items. If they're inventive enough and can find other things to offer, they can raise a bit of extra cash that way.

I wonder whether they could have a voluntary suggested charge of 10p or so. I bet a lot of people would pay it. Say a box on the way out rather than in full view of the librarian at the desk. Some might even throw in more depending on what change they have available. Others would give nothing. I still feel uncomfortable with the idea at all, though.

On balance, as with most other public services, I feel it's better to do it by stealth through taxes.

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Post by EC2 » Fri June 25th, 2010, 6:52 pm

Just a note to say that the subscription library I use in Nottingham is this one - Bromley House. I have mentioned it before. Not all cities have them and they are totally separate to the council run libraries. Their funding is raised by member subscription and in BH's case by the rents paid by the shops below the library. Url here to the website. You can click through to a page of interior views.
http://home.btconnect.com/BromleyHouseLib/bh-home.html

The library still writes its borrowings in ledgers and the computers are hidden away in a back room. There's a lovely garden and a pair of binoculars provided for the bird watchers!
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

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Post by enelya » Fri June 25th, 2010, 7:04 pm

Here in Holland you have to pay a yearly fee to join a library. After paying this you can borrow as many books as you like per year. They might charge you extra for dvd's or cd's. Special fees are available for pensioners and people on low incomes or welfare.
Most schools have their own libraries, used only by their students, and these are free. Same goes for universities.

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