[Publib] Non-Resident use

[Steve Benson]

I think you're exagerating the situation to a point of unreality so
that it can be discounted.  I didn't suggest that Town A has no
business - only that Town B has chosen to avoid the cost of a library
with the intent of freeloading off of Town A.  Why should Town A
assume the cost of library services for Town B?  Further, the savings
by Town B are used in a way that takes potential revenue from Town A.
It adds injury to insult - and is a very realistic scenario faced by
city administrators.


On 10/20/09, Sharon Foster <fostersm1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> So Town A has opted for a library but few or no businesses, and Town B
> has opted for businesses but no library. You'd have to further assume
> that Town A residents don't benefit from the businesses that reside in
> Town B. That seems pretty far-fetched to me. Where will they shop, if
> not in Town B?
>
> Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
> Technology Librarian
> http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/
> "Have you tried switching it off and on again?"
>
>
> On Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 2:22 PM, Steve Benson <swbenson at gmail.com> wrote:
>> The philosophy of free access to all library services for all is noble
>> but economic realities can't be ignored.  Libraries are not really
>> free because somewhere there are sources of revenue that make them
>> possible.
>>
>> Imagine Town A with a wonderful well funded library.  Neighboring Town
>> B has decided to save the expense of a library.  In fact, they have
>> also decided that the budget savings will be used for an economic
>> development fund to offer incentives to businesses considering setting
>> up in Town B.  Town A is often in competition with Town B for these
>> businesses.  This scenario is not so far fetched.
>>
>> Is it wrong for Town A to charge residents of Town B a library use
>> fee?  I'd offer that it would be a very reasonable choice.  This
>> illustrates to me that the debate is not black/white, right/wrong.
>> There is always a possibility of economic realities entering into the
>> mix that can't be ignored and that influence policy decisions.  Where
>> this leads to is a continuum of appropriate choices defined by the
>> unique circumstances faced by any particular library.
>>
>>
>> On 10/20/09, Bob Watson <librarybob at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> There are various types of non-resident use.  Non-equal funding is the
>>> cause of one type of restriction ... with libraries restricting the
>>> residents of neighboring libraries not only because they place a
>>> burden on one's own taxpayer's resources, but also in the hope that
>>> those individuals will then support increased tax levies at home.
>>>
>>> Some years ago, when directing a different library, I was called and
>>> thanked by the director of an adjacent library who was fighting for
>>> increased funding.
>>>
>>> States vary.  This is an Illinois experience, where state support is
>>> minimal, no county support exists (except for "county" libraries), and
>>> all special-use districts are tied to property taxes.
>>>
>>> Bob Watson
>>> Director
>>> Lake Villa District Library
>>> Lake Villa, IL
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Publib mailing list
>>> Publib at webjunction.org
>>> https://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib
>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Sent from my mobile device
>>
>>
>> Steve Benson
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>

-- 
Sent from my mobile device


Steve Benson