Update : Follow-up on the news : HUNTINGTON BEACH : Non-Resident Fees Hiked at Libraries

City library patrons who don’t live in Huntington Beach now have to pay $25 annually for a card to check out books.

A year ago, a $20 library fee was imposed on residents from neighboring cities who frequent the city’s libraries. To cover the administrative costs of issuing cards, the City Council this week approved the extra $5, effective immediately.

Jan Halvorsen, library services manager, said that, since the program started in October, 1994, 4,430 library cards were sold to residents of other cities, generating $88,600 in revenue.

Of that amount, 60%, or about $53,000, was set aside to buy books. The fee proceeds paid for 2,120 new books, Halvorsen said. The remaining 40% of the fee proceeds was allocated to the library’s general fund.

The fee increase is needed to pay for administrative costs, such as processing the cards and collecting the fees, Halvorsen said.

The council also agreed to set a one-day charge of $5 for people who don’t use the library regularly. The fee would give out-of-town patrons access to materials without having to buy the annual card.