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Why is there a need to charge a fee for non-resident library cards?Budget concerns. In 2002-2003 the Fullerton Public Library had an annual operating budget of over $3.6 million. Of this $3.6 million, 89% of the revenue came from the City's General Fund, 8% from State funds, and 3% from other revenue sources (such as overdue fines). Next year it is anticipated that revenues from the City's General Fund and from the State will both be significantly reduced.
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How was this decision made?Members of the library's management team considered many alternatives (e.g. reducing library hours, eliminating library services, or cutting the book budget) before selecting this option. The option was presented to the Library Board of Trustees, who supported the non-resident charge as a way of maintaining the highest quality library service.
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Do any other libraries charge non-resident fees?Yes, there are other public libraries that charge non-resident, annual fees for library cards: Cerritos ($100); Thousand Oaks ($60); Santa Ana ($45); Huntington Beach ($25).
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I am a non-resident and currently have a library card. Do I need to get a new one?All current library cards held by non-residents expired on June 30, 2003. If you decide to obtain a library card after that date, it will be good for one year from the date of purchase. In most cases you should be able to re-use your existing library card upon payment of the non-resident fee and verification of your identification.
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How much will the card cost?Beginning July 1, 2003, the non-resident card will have an annual cost of $25 per person.
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How was this fee determined?This amount was determined by dividing the Library's operating budget by the number of residents in Fullerton. This figured out to approximately $25 per resident.
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Isn't $25 an excessive amount?It costs $40 to attend an Anaheim Angels game, $47 to enter Disneyland ($37 for children) and $42 to enter Knott's Berry Farm ($32 for children). The average price of a hard-cover book is about $25. It costs about $20 per month to access the Internet via AOL. It costs $130 for an annual subscription to the Orange County Register, and even more for the Los Angeles Times.
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What do I get for the $25 annual fee?A $25 non-resident library card entitles you to checkout library materials (books, magazines, videos, audiocassettes, CDs and DVDs). You have access to the Library's 250,000 book collection and 350 magazine/newspaper subscriptions. Moreover, the non-resident card permits you to use the Library's electronic resources, including the Internet. Children can attend library programs. There will be no charge for using library materials inside the library, for studying in the library, or for using the reference service.
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I don't want to checkout any books. Do I need to buy a library card just to use the Internet?Yes, people without a valid library card will be blocked from using the Internet and other library electronic resources on an ongoing basis. Visitors may purchase a two-hour, temporary pass if they only wish to access the Internet. The pass is only good for the day of purchase.
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Is there a family plan available for library cards?No, we do not offer a family plan. Using their library card, parents or legal guardians may check out items for their children or purchase additional library cards for each of their children.
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My family does not live in Fullerton, and I would like my children to participate in children's programs. Do my children need a card?The parent or legal guardian who is registering the child for the library program must present a valid library card. Each family member is not required to have his/her own library card.
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Are there any plans to change or eliminate this new fee?The library staff will monitor the non-resident fee on an ongoing basis. They will be looking at how much revenue is actually generated and will identify any major problem areas that need to be addressed.
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Are there any exemptions to this fee?At its June 17 meeting the City Council approved a request to exempt teachers who teach in Fullerton. This is for public and private schools located in the city limits and up through the high school level. Other requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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Who makes the decision on exemption requests?The Library staff will monitor the number of requests being received. If there is sufficient number of requests, the managers will review the requests and make a recommendation to the Library Board of Trustees. Any recommended changes will need to be reviewed and approved by the Library Board of Trustees. The non-resident fee was implemented to raise revenues, so the number of exemptions will be kept to a minimum.
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