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Originally Posted by HarryT
I think the reason for the restrictions at many libraries is that they are funded by local taxes, hence the idea is that only the people who pay those taxes should be able to benefit from them.
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My libraries are funded by local taxes, yet they allow non-residents to benefit from the taxes paid by residents. This is done through reciprocal borrowing agreements between library systems throughout western Washington. Not all libraries participate, but most of them do.
It's up to the individual library systems to determine which libraries they'll reciprocate with and which ones they won't. Sometimes one library will impose restrictions upon the patrons of another library that's only one-way. For example, the Seattle Public Library and King County Library System have a reciprocal borrowing agreement in place. But because of the imbalance in patronage use between the two systems and the effect it has upon the taxpayers of King County, Seattle residents are not allowed to place holds or borrow ebooks from the King County Library System. Yet, no such restrictions are imposed upon King County residents and they're allowed to place holds and borrow ebooks from the Seattle Public Library.