Library Services and Fees for Non-Residents

The Indianola Public Library supports the philosophy that library service is best provided locally, that city residents recognize the importance of library service and are willing to pay for it through local taxes, and that tax support should be equitable among those residents paying taxes to provide a local library. The library recognizes that some cities have not established a public library, that such cities have an obligation to provide library service through contract with an existing library, and that entering into such a contract provides an opportunity to extend the benefits of library service to those who are not otherwise served. 

To assure equitable tax support of libraries among residents of Warren County, the residents of other city and county jurisdictions providing library service in the county, and the residents of contracting cities, the Indianola Public Library will charge contracting cities the per capita cost of library service to city and rural residents in the county. The per capita cost will be calculated by aggregating all funding received from city and county tax receipts for library operating budgets within Warren County in the previous fiscal year, and dividing by the aggregated city and rural county population served by libraries in the county according to the last decennial United States Census. Contracting cities will be charged the per capita cost multiplied by their population in the last decennial United States Census. The Indianola Public Library will not contract [affirms the goal of not contracting] with cities outside the county at less than the per capita cost in their own or the other library’s county, whichever is higher.

If the Indianola Public Library chooses to renew an existing contract with a city for providing library service to that city’s residents at less than the per capita cost of library service to city and rural residents in the county, the renewal agreement will include a stipulation that the per capita cost to residents of the contracting city will be raised within a maximum of five successive years until it is equal to the per capita costs in Warren County as calculated above. The Indianola Public Library will not enter into a new contract with a city for which it did not previously provide library service at less than the per capita cost of library service to city and rural residents in the county.

If the Indianola Public Library issues nonresident patron cards to individuals or families otherwise not served by a public library, the library will set the fee for such cards at the per capita cost for library service in Warren County as calculated above.

Adopted 02/04; Reviewed 2/12, 9/17; Reviewed 6/21