Aren’t Libraries Free?

There are many misconceptions about public library funding. The most common belief is that public library funding is the government’s responsibility. In reality, while government money does help to support local libraries, these dollars are often unstable and vulnerable–and, for most libraries, support a very small portion of the overall budget. Local dollars, not state or federal dollars, make up the majority of budgets for almost all American public libraries.

Another belief about library funding is that the busier the library, the more money it receives. Unfortunately, library funding is not based on use or demand. Most libraries work on annual budgets based mainly on city, county, or property tax allocations. Gretna Public Library relies on the property taxes of households within the municipal boundaries of the city.

Some subdivisions of the City of Gretna are not located within the municipal limits of the city. Instead, they are in unincorporated SIDs (Sanitary & Improvement Districts). These special districts are how most of Nebraska grows.

Because neither Sarpy County nor the state of Nebraska supports any library system (there is no Sarpy County Library), the taxes of SID residents do not support any library. This means that even if you are a part of the Gretna Public School District, you may still be ineligible for a Resident Library Card at GPL. Non-residents are welcome at all library events and able to use most library services without an account. A library card is only necessary to borrow materials and access some online resources. Non-residents may apply for a card with a $40 “make-up tax” per household, browse taxpayer-funded options, or consider other area libraries.

For further questions about SIDs and libraries in Sarpy County, please contact Sarpy County commissioner Jim Warren at 402-290-8000 or jwarren@sarpy.gov.
We encourage you to reach out to him for clarification on how the county can work with its libraries to become a stellar resource for all of its citizens.