The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
The city may become the first in South Hampton Roads to charge out-of-towners a fee to check out a library book.
Beach officials are considering a $45-a-year fee for nonresidents who want a library card. Chesapeake charges $35, but nonresidents can check out up to six items for free.
"This is a tight budget year, and everybody is looking for a way to increase revenues or decrease expenditures," library Director Marcy Sims said.
The fee is based on what Beach residents pay for the library system through their taxes.
About 14,648 people who live outside of the Beach have a city library card.
"We're estimating less than half will choose to buy a card if it's not free," Sims said.
The fees would generate an additional $75,000 to buy more books, Sims said.
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
I have no problem with it.
I have no problem with it. Virginia Beach charges non city residents higher fees to join their recreation centers. Recreation centers were paid for by Virginia Beach taxpayer money. I assume the libraries are too.
The Liberary has that right
We are residents of Norfolk, however my wife has done a lot of work at the Virginia Beach Library in the past. She used to be employed at the Chesapeake Library System and before that in the Charlotteville Library before we got together in 1998. She has had nothing but praise for the Libraries in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Norfolk. From what she has told me, the service would be well worth the money. These are hard times and the citizens of a city have already paid for their library (until the city council takes them away) through their local taxes. The Libraries that my wife has worked in had to rely on a lot of volunteer workers to make ends meet. I think that these volunteers should be given a break from any fees. Furthermore, this is one of the first services that city councils look at to make cuts from or eliminate completely. My only concern is that any fee to out of city residents for library cards should be used directly to run the library and not put into the general fund of the city to use as a revenue enhancer for other projects that are unrelated to the Library.
re: Janine
Virginia law grants a resident of any locality the right to a reciprocal library card in any other jurisdiction in the Commonwealth.
$$$$
Resident vs Non-resident. Virginia Bch. furnishes a mighty fine bunch of libraries for public use. Taxes do play a roll in the library budget as well as the State funds they receive. I'll bet the State funds the library at a higher $ than the city.
Most of us pay Va.State taxes reguardless of the city we live in with the exception of vacationers from out of state. Those folks should be charged say $2 for a temp. card with a same day expiration date and maybe use a designated computer for @30min. first come first serve basis.
(or) pay the $45 fee (maybe should be $25) and use the library like a resident.
As for residents of other cities, if they could privide info (pay stub etc.) showing working in Va. Bch. but living in the state (paying taxes) maybe give these folks a break. "Stats are everything" when asking for more funding.
How about a more agressive recoop of lost books that are never returned. Add that loss up and maybe make up for lost revenue.
As my past librarian once called the Library "The Equalizer" making the haves and the have nots equal. A Library is one of the few places where it matters not how you dress, speak, look or what you drive, everyone is tr
Stupid me....
I was under the impression that you had to be a resident to enjoy what you pay for. I guess I am too naive to believe that cities, states and the federal government actually have a plan in place to PROHIBIT those that have NO RIGHT to these services. Someone want to tell me how great socialized medicine will work again?
Students
Some students live in homes without computers or internet service. They need libraries, both for internet and access to reference materials. Va Beach has the best libraries in the area. Yes, the general public should pay extra to use our libraries if they don't live here, but there should be an exemption for K-12 students. We shouldn't do anything to make their successful education more difficult. All K-12 students should be able to our libraries, no matter where they live.
VB and muneee
If there's a way for Virginia Beach to take money out of your pocket and put it into theirs, they WILL find it.
Good idea
The city should charge. It is not our fault that our libraries are better because we invested in them with OUR tax dollars. People from neighboring cities can either pay the fee or demand that their city councils invest in THEIR libraries.
Watch.Dog...
...You paid $5 for a card. Not $45 a year. It's not quite the same thing.
Bad idea, Va. Beach
I frequently visit the Central Library, even though I live in Norfolk, because its hours fit my work schedule and the selection tends to be better. While I'm in Va. Beach, I'll also shop and dine, thus adding tax revenue to the city's coffers. If the VB Library decides to charge me $45 a year for the privilege of checking out books, I'll just say "No, thanks" and find a way to work with the Norfolk library system - taking my shopping and dining dollars with me, as well as the books I often donate to the VB library's used book shop and the money I spend in that store. I doubt I'll be the only one, either.