[Publib] Re: Charging patrons for programs

[Donna Jo Atwood]

We have been doing adult programming for about the last 5 years, with a real
push in the last two to do more and better.  We have never charged for any
of our programs, even the crafts and gingerbread house programs.  However,
this year we will try an genealogy field trip and we will charge a fee to
cover most of the transportation cost.

 

Donna Jo Atwood

Reference Librarian

Olathe (KS) Public Library

 

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Beth
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 1:33 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Re: Charging patrons for programs

 

Hello again! I am getting many wonderful responses to my question below;
please keep them coming. 

Did I ever say how terrific you all are?

And yes, I will post responses when I've collected all my info - and let you
know which way we decide to go, b/c right now we are still in the discussion
phase. 

Thanks again!
-- 
Beth Borene
Youth Services Librarian
beth.borene at gmail.com
 

On 4/1/08, Beth <beth.borene at gmail.com> wrote: 

Hi All-

 

Please excuse cross posting.

 

In this age of budget cuts, my library system is considering charging
patrons a nominal entrance fee to attend library programming to help offset
the cost of the professional performers/teachers (because we just don't have
the staff to do all programming in house and the system cannot seem to
arrive at a reasonable maximum performance fee). Personally I think this
idea won't wash very well for the more urban part of our demographic, but I
was curious to see if this is becoming more common nowadays.

 

*Has any other library begun charging patrons entrance/nominal fees to
attend a library sponsored program? What are your good and bad experiences
with this? How did you implement it and explain it to your patrons? How did
your patrons react?

 

*Also, how many of you offer computer classes to your patrons? How many of
you charge them a fee to attend those classes? I'm looking for reasoning to
keep teaching computer classes at the library - our community services
director is now rethinking offering computer classes in the library at all.

 

Thanks in advance (as always) for all of your help! Feel free to shoot me an
email at the address below.

-- 
Beth Borene
Youth Services Librarian

beth.borene at gmail.com

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