(no subject)

[elainegrey]

The county library district now wants $80 for to continue my out of district borrowing. It's not a financially reasonable choice for me, but i think i'll pay it to support libraries and to allow me to access their digital reference collections on occasion.

Selections from the email:

In response to dramatic reductions in State funding and an
increasing demand for library services, the Santa Clara County
Library District Joint Powers Authority (JPA) approved an $80
annual library card fee for non-residents of the District in order
to balance the budget. Non-district resident students who attend
public or private schools and school districts (preschool through
grade 12) that overlap the Santa Clara County Library District are
eligible for a free student limited card.

Since 1988, the State has reimbursed public libraries for lending
materials to non-residents of their district, and any resident of
California could get a card at any public library in the state.
Demands for service have increased to a point that the Santa Clara
County Library District lends far more books to non-residents than
District residents borrow from other libraries. In order to
preserve the high quality of service, collection and open hours,
the JPA reluctantly decided it must implement the non-resident card
fee.

Comments

[weofodthignen]

Ah, so you use the county libraries? Have you tried getting a San Jose card? I wish San Jose State were a better university so it would have more books, but it does have enough to really help. I know both Santa Clara and Cupertino have reputations as really good local libraries, but I think my borrowing needs are unusual '-) I also use LinkPlus really aggressively, and just wish I had real Interlibrary Loan. But LinkPlus is extremely good for the kind of consortium it is.

M

Edited to add: $80 seems awfully high but if I had been using a County library I think I'd pay it, too. Libraries are really important. All the more so for people in small towns and unincorporated areas.