City Libraries Now Charging Non-Residents Spokane’s New Fee Policy Takes Some By Surprise

Never were the Spokane city limits as obvious as they were Tuesday, when city libraries started charging non-residents for library cards.

“Apparently, I’m not a city resident,” said Terry Pugh, after librarians at the main branch told him he couldn’t check out books without paying for a card.

Spokane Public Library trustees in November decided to charge non-residents for the privilege of borrowing materials from libraries funded by city residents. The rule took effect Tuesday.

The fees range from $10 for a four-month card with limited services to $100 for a one-year card that provides all the frills available to city residents.

Non-residents still can use the libraries for free, if they don’t check out anything. Or, they can use the libraries they fund through their property taxes, those operated by the Spokane County Library District.

But bookworms who want the biggest selection in Spokane, as well as computer access to stories in 700 magazines, have no choice but to pay the fees. Librarians at the Main branch sold 22 cards the first six hours it was open Tuesday.

Paul Trevithick of Mead bought the fifth one.

“I’ve lived in Spokane all my life. I had a business here for 30 years, so I’m surprised I had to pay,” said the retired gas station owner, who moved out of the city five years ago.

Chris Ruppert left three exer cise videos at the checkout desk rather than pay to take them home. Ruppert, who lives near Spangle, said she had heard about the new policy, “but I didn’t know when it was going into effect or how much it was going to be.”

She hasn’t decided yet whether she’ll buy a card or drive an extra 10 miles to use the Cheney Library, which is operated by the county district.

Library trustees suggest consolidating the two systems into one, and ending the disparities between the two.

Ruppert said she’d favor the change, even though it probably would mean a tax increase for property owners.”Sometimes it’s easier to pay a tax and know that you don’t have a choice,” she said.