Imo, one of the most beneficial things big city libraries can do in the current political moment is waive location-based requirements for a card. #booksky #austinpubliclibrary - ThreadSky

rowan-is-writing.bsky.social • 17 days ago

Imo, one of the most beneficial things big city libraries can do in the current political moment is waive location-based requirements for a card.

#booksky #austinpubliclibrary

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chiclit02.bsky.social•17 days ago

My PSA for MA residents: We can all get a Boston Public Library card AND your hometown library card works at all consortia in the state, even on Libby.

weaselicious.bsky.social•17 days ago

Broward County Library has been giving library cards to anyone, regardless of location, for some time now, if anyone is in need. There are others for certain.

serdundon.bsky.social•17 days ago

They introduced a fee for this for folks that aren't local. Worth it, IMO, as I think it's like $30. But still a barrier for lots of folks.

weaselicious.bsky.social•17 days ago

Oh snap. That's good info though. Maybe there's still one that doesn't.

serdundon.bsky.social•17 days ago

The Ida Rupp library in Ohio was for a while but I think they gated access too now.

weaselicious.bsky.social•17 days ago

Harris County did not have a fee last year when I got mine, I can't tell if that's changed but might be worth a shot.

last-comma-first.bsky.social•17 days ago

Las Vegas https://lvccld.org offers out-of-state cards. Shorter expiration date, fewer check-outs and no digital access

lbdinosaur.bsky.social•16 days ago

In IL, libraries are required by state law to charge for cards issued to residents outside their districts.The charge must be based on the library's property tax rate. But once you have a card, it can be used for free in any library that participates in the reciprocity program.

rowan-is-writing.bsky.social•16 days ago

Yeah, that sort of thing makes sense to me in the long term, because I know digital titles are expensive for libraries (though in an ideal world they’d have some sort of scholarship application/mutual aid coverage/fee waiver for class equity).

kendrawilsonnv.bsky.social•17 days ago

So good!

deadlinedemocracy.bsky.social•17 days ago

Great idea!

timgega.bsky.social•17 days ago

This is my new Pledge of Allegiance 2025

chersp.bsky.social•17 days ago

In Ohio you can get a library card at any public library as long as you are a resident of Ohio.

rowan-is-writing.bsky.social•17 days ago

Tagging austin bc it’s where I grew up and has already done this for some of the surrounding areas

deweydecimator10.bsky.social•17 days ago

The Los Angeles Public Library only requires a California address.

amandabcook.bsky.social•17 days ago

Where I grew up in NYS *hasn’t had a library* for like 20 years bc of a political battle - small towns have refused to pay into Thrall Library that’s 10 min away. Ppl have been trying to solve it in various ways over the years, but no scheme to get ppl in these towns library cards lasts #booksky 1/

mtl324.bsky.social•17 days ago

I do not know if this will help you but live in NYS, hours, from NYC but have library cards for the NYPL, Queens library, as well as the Brooklyn library. I use them for ebooks, and other digital collections. Do any of these or other libraries closer to you offer a bookmobile?

amandabcook.bsky.social•17 days ago

That’s great! I know Brooklyn PL has been at the forefront of access 💜 I’m lucky enough to live in another state now where I have access to both a city and county library system, so I have an abundance of riches…. I’ll share that with my mom, though!

amandabcook.bsky.social•17 days ago

It’s about the rural Republican towns’ annoyance at the taxing scheme - they argue owning large plots of farmland shouldn’t mean higher library taxes. At one of the original mtgs when they were debating withdrawal, one of the leaders got up and declared infamously, “Cows don’t read!” 2/

amandabcook.bsky.social•17 days ago

The library tried to do the right thing and expand access for people suddenly classified as non-residents, first giving cards for free (that got shot down after 1-2yr bc they weren’t paying in), then offering cards for an annual fee (that got shot down after 1-2yr bc it was inequitable) 3/

amandabcook.bsky.social•17 days ago

People in the towns made plans to create a new library branch, but it was defeated at the polls in 2022. Then there was a nearby Free Library that gave them cards with access to Thrall Library, but that was shot down. 4/

amandabcook.bsky.social•17 days ago

Imagine living within commuting distance of NYC in the 21C and not having access to a library. I know that Thrall Library has done everything to expand access, but they don’t have the power. It’s state law?? I think?? And anti-tax voters and town officials, of course. 5/

amandabcook.bsky.social•17 days ago

It’s so much more complicated than ppl thought it would be at the start of this. Library access for everyone should be a basic right! For more info see this handout: https://www.thrall.org/docs/Minisink2023.pdf

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