Garland Library to charge $25 nonresident card fee; $3 interlibrary-loan charge proposed for FY26

At its Sept. 8 meeting the Garland Library Board discussed fee changes tied to the city's fiscal year 2026 operating budget, which Garland City Council approved last week.

Karen Archibald, Director of Libraries, said the board and staff reviewed fee practices across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and found that most neighboring public libraries charge nonresident fees. "Almost 74% of the public libraries in the metroplex charge a non resident fee," she said, and noted that some systems have tiered or higher fees: "Dallas actually charges upwards...as much as $250 per year for a card." Archibald said Garland will set a $25 annual nonresident fee for residents of jurisdictions that charge Garland residents for a library card; she said the amount equals the per-capita spending on Garland libraries.

Archibald said roughly 23% of Garland's active cardholders are nonresidents and that the library will not require a card to use on-site resources or attend programs; cards are required to check out materials and to access some online resources. She said the nonresident fee will be publicized in advance; staff told the board the new fees will be operationally implemented Jan. 1 but that they technically align with the city's fiscal year starting Oct. 1.

The board also reviewed changes to the interlibrary-loan (ILL) program. Archibald said the library takes part in the Texas State Library and Archives Commission's interlibrary-loan network and that courier (TexShare/TexPress) and postage costs have grown. To help offset those costs, staff proposed a $3 fee per ILL request. Archibald said Garland processes between about 2,500 and 4,000 ILL requests a year and that the courier service costs about "$2,800 to $3,100 a year," with individual mailings sometimes costing more depending on weight. The stated intent is to sustain the program rather than to generate revenue; Archibald said the $3 fee covers most mailing costs and is not intended to be a profit center.

Board members asked for additional demographic data about where nonresident cardholders live and whether the fee could create barriers for people who rely on Garland library services. Archibald said staff can produce a heat map showing concentrations in Plano, Richardson, Mesquite, Rockwall and Forney and reiterated that the library does not require a card for on-site use or program participation. The board requested further information about the residency map and outreach materials before implementation.

No formal board vote on either fee was recorded at the meeting; Archibald said staff would finalize communications and systems before the fees take effect.