A library district is ...

posted 06/25/03
Over my library career, I have gotten a lot of blank looks when I use the term "Library District." The San Juan Island Library is not part of a county library system, and it is not a municipal library. We are a separate entity known as a Library District, and because we are in a county comprised entirely of islands, we are further designated as an Island Library District.

According to the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 27.12.010, Definitions),

"Island Library District" means a municipal corporation organized to provide library service for all areas outside of incorporated cities and towns on a single island only, and not all of the area of the county, in counties composed entirely of islands and having a population of less than twenty-five thousand at the time the island library district was created: PROVIDED, That any city or town with a population of one hundred thousand or less at the time of annexation may be included therein.

The San Juan Island Library District was created in 1982 by a vote of the residents, and is funded by a specified portion of property taxes within the district, currently 44.8¢ per $1000 of assessed value. The maximum levy for library districts, by Washington State Law, is 50¢ per $1000. The amount of the levy varies from year to year, usually decreasing slightly each year unless the voters approve a "levy lid lift," restoring it to the maximum of 50¢.

The district boundaries follow the shoreline of San Juan Island. Within the county, three islands have tax-supported library districts: San Juan, Orcas and Lopez. There is a public library on Shaw Island, but it is privately owned and administrated; a membership fee is required.

So, a library district is:

A "Special Purpose District"
A "Municipal Corporation"
A "Junior Taxing District"
Supported by property taxes

A library district is not:

A county agency
A town agency
A nonprofit organization (as defined by the IRS, though donations to the library are deductible)

If you have questions about this, please let me know. I won't promise that I'll know the answer off the top of my head, but I'll find out for you.

Lauren Stara
Director, San Juan Island Library
phone number 360.378.2798
e-mail lstara@sjlib.org

news @sanjuanislander.com

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A library district is ...