Haven’t these cities been paying for library services? How does this compare to funding from other sources?
Public libraries in Iowa are typically funded by their own city, county, state, and through small revenues like fines and fees. Each city with a library allocates funding to the city library to pay for services for the residents of that city. The county allocates funding to pay for library services for county residents in Buchanan County. The county funding covers only rural residents, not those who reside within city limits.

Funding for library services from a city without a library usually comes with an agreement or contract with a library, city or agency for that purpose. Some of the cities in Buchanan County have paid for library services in the past and some have given a donation. However, all the cities without libraries have not consistently paid for library services. The Cities with Libraries in Buchanan County (CLBC) have requested that all cities without libraries pay for library services at a level of $5 per capita for the ’15 fiscal year (July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015). Contracts have been sent for the next fiscal year (July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016) for the amount of $6 per capita, and those are due before July. Hazleton, Quasqueton, and Stanley currently contract for library services, but the cities of Rowley and Brandon have chosen not to contract for services.

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1. Haven’t these cities been paying for library services? How does this compare to funding from other sources?
2. Will county residents continue to receive library services?
3. Since we’ve received library services in the past, why are you requesting funding from the cities without libraries now?
4. How much is being requested for library services?
5. I live in Brandon/Rowley and am in the Independence Community School District. Why don’t my children receive library services?
6. Have you talked with the cities without libraries about the request for funding?
7. Are cities without libraries in other counties expected to pay for library services?
8. Is my city locked into a long term contract if we sign this contract?
9. What should we do if we want to continue to receive library services?
10. If my city decides not to sign the contract, can I purchase a card for library services?
11. How will library services change for me if my city decides not to sign the contract?
12. Can I just go to another library outside of Buchanan County for library services?