[Publib] Michigan library doesn't have to provide service

[Rachel Singer Gordon]

I live in an unincorporated area that is not served by a library district. I
buy a family card each year at a neighboring library, which requires me to
bring in my property tax bill, then charges me what I would have paid in
property taxes if I did live inside their district. While this is a pain
(and -- my house would be worth more if it WERE in their town...), it seems
to address some of the issues around equitable treatment better than a flat
fee does.

- rsg

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Rachel Singer Gordon
Webmaster, LISjobs.com / Consulting Editor, ITI Books
AIM: rachelsgordon
Web: http://www.lisjobs.com
Management Responsibilities? http://www.lisjobs.com/talm/

> I expect the real issues in this case are below the surface. 
> What I have seen with nonresident cards is that it's hard to 
> keep them equitable, both in perception (hey, why do those 
> folks get a free ride?!) and reality (it's very easy in those 
> arrangements for the nonresident fee to fall behind its 
> actual value). Nonresident cards are also disincentives for 
> communities to establish their own libraries... it's a public 
> service for the residents served by the hosting library, but 
> a private, optional service for the nonresident communities. 
> So I'm guessing there are some ideology wars going on here.
> 
> It also sounds as if there was a bad divorce several years 
> back when the library said if you want our services it's 
> gonna cost you X and the other city said forget about it. So 
> then along comes a guy who "offers" to buy a card for 
> one-third of what it's worth, at least in the host library's 
> eyes... well, what a good deal THAT is. Hey, can I propose my 
> own property tax, while we're at it? 
> 
> It's still sad that a town that clearly wants/needs library 
> service leaves its residents in a predicament where they have 
> to go begging some other town to have their needs met. It 
> underscores that libraries are an optional service, and that 
> we can never take anything for granted.
> 
> Karen G. Schneider
> kgs at freerangelibrarian.com