BROOKINGS — Some users of the Brookings Public Library, individuals and groups alike, could see fee changes next year following recommendations from the library’s board at Thursday’s noon meeting.

The board supported increasing the out-of-county fee for individual cards from the current $35 to $40, and boosting a family card fee from $45 to $50. It also backed raising the meeting room fee from $10 for business groups to $25 for all non-library groups.

The recommendations are just that, though. There’s still some other hoops to jump through.

“The new fee(s) (will) be included in an update to the city’s consolidated fee schedule, which City Council will consider as part of the 2025 budget adoption process,” Library Director Ashia Gustafson told the Brookings Register in an interview, adding that if they’re approved, the new fees would go into effect Jan. 1.

In a memo to the library board, she noted that the library had 174 out-of-county cards that were paid for by Brookings-area residents last year, totaling $4,227.

“The increase in out-of-county fees keeps pace with the amount the city funds the Brookings Public Library on a Brookings County per capita amount,” she told the Register. “The Brookings Library has added collections and resources that are not limited based on in-county or out-of-county membership.

“These resources come at, sometimes, a high subscription or purchase cost. Raising the out-of-county fees make sure that the city isn’t also subsidizing out-of-county library users,” she said.

Regarding the fee for using the Cooper rooms, Gustafson said a couple of developments spurred the $25 proposal.

“The meeting room fee is due to the increased demand of the space(s). We currently have a policy of charging $10 for businesses to utilize this space, but are not consistent with charging those groups,” Gustafson said. “Also, in our policy is a $25 cleaning fee as needed. We have not been successful in recouping this cost when the situation arises.”

The rooms have proven popular. In 2023 alone, they were utilized by approximately 320 non-library programs, according to a library memo. If the bookings stay consistent, the $25 fee would bring in around $8,000 per year.

— Contact Mondell Keck at mkeck@brookingsregister.com.