WHAT IS RECIPROCITY?
Effective June 1, 2000, St. Charles City-County Library District, St. Louis
County Library, St. Louis Public Library and the Municipal Library Consortium
(MLC) of St. Louis County will offer reciprocal lending privileges to their
library customers. A reciprocity agreement between library districts means that
residents and/or property taxpayers of these library service areas may check
out materials free of charge from any participating library. The MLC Libraries
include Brentwood, Ferguson, Kirkwood, Maplewood, Richmond Heights, Rock Hill,
University City, Valley Park and Webster Groves. For St. Charles County commuters,
reciprocity with these 11 other area library districts may offer a convenient
way to access library resources near their place of employment. It is the desire
of all the library districts that library materials be available in the most
convenient way possible for those who live, work, shop, visit, etc. in any of
the 12 participating library service areas.
Under Library Board policy, the St. Charles City-County Library District can
enter into reciprocal lending agreements with Library Districts that have a
tax rate that is at least 75% of our Library Districts rate OR have a total
per capita support rate that is at least 75% of this District's total per capita
support.
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WHO QUALIFIES FOR RECIPROCITY?
All individual residents and/or property taxpayers of any of these library service
areas are eligible to borrow materials from any participating library district.
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HOW CAN
YOU CHECK OUT MATERIALS?
In order to check out materials from any of the 10 other library districts,
you must have a card from the library you wish to use. To get a card, you just
visit the library of your choice, and provide acceptable identification that
shows your current address and proves you are a resident and/or taxpayer of
one of the reciprocal lending library service areas.
A pamphlet with St. Louis County Library branch locations and hours is available
at St. Charles City-County Library District branch circulation desks.
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WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR BORROWING?
All library policies related to borrowing of materials will apply to reciprocal
lending cards. Cardholders are liable for any fines, fees or charges related
to overdue or lost materials. Each library district sets its own policies regarding
loan periods, fines, etc.
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WHAT MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE?
You may use your reciprocal lending library card to check out all circulating
materials. The 11 participating library districts offer over seven million books,
periodicals, newspapers and audiovisual materials, including a booking collection
of public performance videos at over 50 locations throughout St. Louis City,
St. Louis County and St. Charles County. Because of the cooperation between
these library districts, residents will have access to many more resources...all
free of charge!
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MORE BENEFITS OF RECIPROCITY
You may reserve request items from any participating library. Reserves can be
placed at the library or by accessing the library district's online catalog.
(All of the participating library districts have web-based online catalogs.
To go to a participating library district's online catalog, click
here.) Materials reserved at one of the other participating libraries may
not be picked up at St. Charles City-County Library District
branches. You can however choose a location within the lending library district
to pick up your reserve. You
may return materials borrowed from any participating
library to any St. Charles City-County Library Branch, but any fines or fees
need to be paid at a branch of the district where they are owed.
With few restrictions, you receive exactly the same benefits as any other library
cardholder.
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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Cardholders will not be charged for borrowing materials. At the
end of a specified time period, the Library District that is the net borrower
will compensate the net lending library. For example if St. Charles County residents
check out 100,000 items from St. Louis County Library Branches, and St. Louis
County residents check out 75,000 items from St. Charles City-County Library
District Branches, the St. Charles City-County Library District will compensate
St. Louis County Library for circulation of 25,000 items @ 50 cents per item.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about reciprocity, call your local branch library.
Return to Borrowing Information
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Last updated: 1/3/06 - jfb