Non-Resident Fees for a
Tacoma Public Library Card

America's tax-supported public libraries are unique and are the envy of much of the rest of the world. Access to information, education, entertainment and culture for every citizen is virtually unheard of in most other countries.
Currently, the citizens of Tacoma invest over $9,000,000 each year through taxes to provide themselves and their families with exceptional library services through nine branches and a Main Library. No funds are received from the County, State or Federal government to support the Tacoma Public Library. Residents of the city of Tacoma are entitled to receive a free library card because of their tax support. Non-residents are charged a reasonable fee for a Tacoma Public Library card and the privileges which accompany it. As stewards of the services paid for by city taxpayers, we cannot provide free services to people who have not paid for them.

Setting the Fee For Non-Residents.
The theory of tax-supported services is simple. Services that are too important to leave to chance are paid through taxes. People pay whether they use the service or not because having the service available benefits the entire community. Spreading the costs over a broad community base keeps the costs low for everyone.
Non-resident fees for library services are based on how much the average taxpayer pays to support the library. The current cost of library service is $51.00 per year. Alternately, non-residents may purchase six months of library service for $25.50. While you may always use most resources of the Tacoma Public Library without a valid library card, you will not be allowed to check-out library materials or utilize the Computer Lab, InterLibrary Loan, or on-line searching.
Some municipalities adjacent to Tacoma rebate all or part of the cost of a Tacoma Public Library card to their residents. Please check with your local municipal office to see if they participate in this program. Remember, too, that you may be eligible for library services if you are a resident of King County or of Pierce County (but live outside the limits of the City of Tacoma). If so, you may be entitled to free use of libraries in the Pierce County Library System, or the King County Library System. Please check with either library for details.

What You Get For Your Money.
Upon payment of a non-resident fee, you have full use of:

• 987,000 books
• 23,116 audio cassettes
• 2,451 different magazine and newspaper subscriptions
• 13,029 compact discs
• 12,440 video cassettes
• 4,086 books cassettes
• 14,359 large print books

Fifty-one dollars may seem like a lot of money, but some comparisons may help put it in perspective. The average cost of a book is $33.57. A one-year subscription to Time magazine is $61.88. An evening out for a family of four at a fast food restaurant and the movies costs at least $60. A Tacoma Public Library card costs only 11 cents per day.
When put into perspective, $51.00 for a Tacoma Public Library card for a year is an incredible bargain.

King County residents
The Tacoma Public Library has a reciprocal agreement with the King County Library System. What this means is that all residents of the City of Tacoma who have a Tacoma Public Library card are entitled to a free card from the King County Library System. This also means most (but not all) residents of unincorporated King County are entitled to a free library card from the Tacoma Public Library.

Who's excluded

• Residents of cities and other library districts (including Pierce County) who have reciprocal agreements with the King County Library District.
• Residents of the City of Seattle

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