East County : THOUSAND OAKS : Council to Consider $55 Library Fee
The Thousand Oaks City Council today will consider charging library users who live outside the city $55 a year for checking out books.
The fee is intended to offset the rising cost of running two city libraries next year, according to a council staff report. This year, the city is spending about $4.8 million on library services.
Under the proposal, the city would charge borrowers who use the library but do not live within the city limits. No fees would be charged to property owners and residents of unincorporated areas near and within Thousand Oaks that are covered under agreements with the county, or to local students.
If adopted, Thousand Oaks would be the only city in the county to charge users a fee, said Marvin Smith, director of library services.
A study of borrowers during a six-month period last year showed that about 38% of the people who used city libraries in Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park lived outside the city.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
