Round Rock charging non-resident fee for library card

The Round Rock city council voted this month to reinstate fees for nonresidents who want a public library card. It reverses a 2015 decision that allowed all Texans to receive a library card for free.

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) -- The Round Rock city council voted this month to reinstate fees for nonresidents who want a public library card. It reverses a 2015 decision that allowed all Texans to receive a library card for free.

Now, people who live outside of Round Rock's city limits have to pay $120 annually to receive all the resources the library offers, but nonresidents are still allowed to check out books, access TexShare databases, and be apart of the youth and adult programming.

Sara Bustilloz, a spokesperson for the city, said the city wants to maintain a focus on providing services to its residents who pay taxes. Currently, 48% of the cardholders at the library are nonresident, and the new library is growing in popularity since it opened in 2023.

According to city data, in 2019 the library saw 6,792 new card members, but last year alone, it saw 14,992 new card members. The increase in card holders is putting a strain on resources, especially the books placed on hold, Bustilloz explained.

"The concern is that if you can't place a hold, that potentially you can't access those resources," Bustilloz explained. Bustilloz said if more people want to pay the annual fee, it can buy more books to respond to the demand.

People took to the library's Facebook page to express their frustration with the new fees. Some people commenting have a Round Rock address, but do not live within city limits. They say they don't have access to any other library, and are disappointed by the new required fees.

Bustilloz said the new tier structure the library is working with now still allows nonresidents to check out books, and gives them the option to pay for full access.

"They can still come to the library. There are still a lot of things that this library has to offer for non-city residents that wouldn't come with a fee," Bustilloz said.

Round Rock residents will have to renew their membership every two years, while every nonresident will have to renew their membership every year.