From: Linda Ward-Callaghan <lwcallaghan>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 19:36:11 -0500

Message----From: Cammie Backus [mailto:CBackus at rif.org]
" I assume that if you live in a county that has a library, part of your taxes go toward the funding of the library, but if you're out-of-county, then the library system makes you pay."


 Cammie is right. While some people live in states where all residents are covered by either a county-wide library system or city/village library, in other states
(like Illinois), there are pockets of "unicorporated" areas where residents are not covered by any library. Because they pay no library tax, these residents often purchase a non-resident library card (valid for all members of the family) to obtain borrowing privileges (in my area, the cost is calculated based on the average amount homeowners pay in library tax). We used to have a "student fee" that enabled young people to have borrowing privilges, but that was prohibited by the state a few years ago. I sure wish we could solve this issue!

We have an aggressive "teacher loan" program to address this issue. Our library issues school cards and teacher cards to classroom teachers (the school district accepts responsibility for losses and damage). Homeschooling parents can also obtain the "T?rd." We will pull a selection of books on request and loan them out for 6 weeks. This enables some "out-of-library district" students to borrow materials through their local school.

Linda Ward?llaghan Youth Services Lead Professional Joliet Public Library 150 N. Ottawa Street Joliet, IL 60432 815t0&62 FAX: 815t0a61 http://www.joliet.lib.il.us
Received on Thu 14 Oct 2004 07:36:11 PM CDT