todd m. sweet

Thoughts on the Proposed Fee by Champaign Public Library

On August 31st the Champaign Public Library (“CPL”) announced a new policy regarding access by users whose home libraries are in the Tolono and Mahomet library districts.

Starting November 1, library patrons with cards from the Mahomet and Tolono Public Libraries will need to purchase a Champaign library card to check out materials from the Champaign Public Library.

Cards will be available for an annual fee of $200, approximately equal to the annual library tax paid by the owners of an average Champaign home, as part of their property tax.

There is a Problem

Before voicing my concerns about the proposed fee, let me acknowledge the following:

• Our fiscal reality requires public entities to take a hard look at their sources of revenue, the cost of its services, and make difficult decisions.
• In an effort to ensure maximum access for the citizens of Champaign, I think it is reasonable for the CPL to examine usage by non-residents.
• I am fine with the concept of paying more as a non-resident to use Champaign resources (park district fees are a good comparison).

My Objections

On to my laundry list of gripes with the fee.

1. Hurts kids more than adults. It’s fair to say there is no shortage of children’s content (books/DVDs etc.) at the CPL. Consequently, why limit access to the group of users who has the most to gain from the library’s resources?  I would be OK if as a first step the CPL restricted access to adult materials, but kept the shelves open for kids.
2. Zero access to CPL materials. Under the proposal, Tolono Library District users would not be allowed to reserve items from CPL through the Lincoln Trails System (LTS) and pick them up at their home library.  This is in direct conflict with the current policies of the LTS.
3. $200 fee is a deterrant.  The proposed fee is so high it has to be considered a deterrent and not a revenue generation tool.  Consequently, I must assume the CPL is primarily interested in limiting access to non-residents and not generating additional revenue to fund access for all.
4. All or nothing fee.  As I mentioned above, I understand the need for higher fees for non-residents when they use city resources.  A great example is Sholem Pool, which our family uses throughout the summer.  Each time we go we pay a slightly higher entrance fee as Savoy residents.  However, I’m not required to pay for an annual pass the first time I visit in the summer, regardless of how many times I might use the pool.  With its annual $200 fee that is exactly what the CPL is asking us to do.
5. No public input or alternate solutions considered.  The CPL is a valued resource in our family - so much so that I likely would have *donated* $200 if I had known services were in jeopardy.  I’m angered by how this has been presented.

I think there is a perception that Savoy/Tolono/Mahomet residents live where they do to avoid high taxes, and this fee is a way to make us “share the pain”, so to speak.  Perhaps there is a perception that people in these communities can easily afford to pay the fee.  I disagree.  Let me describe a scenario and you tell me what the reaction would be.

What if the Village of Savoy taxed itself in order to build a beautiful new public facility in the Savoy Plaza, just outside the Champaign city limits.  The facility, whether it was a library, community center etc., is currently open to residents of Champaign and Urbana due to a pre-existing reciprocal agreement.  It provides services that are sought after by people of all socio-economic levels.  However, the facility, due to its close proximity to C-U and its wonderful resources, is quickly overwhelmed by non-Village residents.  In an effort to preserve full access to the citizens of Savoy/Tolono, it is decided that, despite our reciprocal agreement, we need to impose an annual access fee.  Doing so will unfortunately mean that lower-income families will likely be unable to have access to the facility.  There will be no sliding scale based on ability to pay, or actual usage, because our fee is based on the average annual taxes levied on our residents.  Would people shrug their shoulders as they seem to be doing in this situation, or would there be an outcry?

Surely the CPL can consider creative alternatives that will keep access to one of the region’s finest public institutions open.

Possible Solutions

Here are some quick bullet-point solutions to consider.  I’ll try and flesh these out in the near future.

• Restrict access to new releases, bestsellers and rental materials for non-residents.  These are obviously the “resources” that face the highest demand.
• Implement a pay-as-you-go system.  All the tools seem to be in place ot make this happen at checkout.
• If the proposal is enacted I will certainly lobby the Tolono Library District to refund my portion of property taxes it receives so I can use it to pay CPL fee.  I might be willing to lose access to Tolono library if that happens.
• What else?  Do you have ideas?

Related:

Champaign Library Not Free Much Longer - WICD News