The Tacoma Public Library board of trustees agreed unanimously this week to enter into a 15-month trial reciprocal borrowing agreement with Pierce County’s library system. The Pierce County library board, which initiated the idea, is expected to approve the agreement at its May 14 meeting.

“We’re really excited that the Tacoma board is interested,” said Georgia Lomax, deputy director of Pierce County library system.

Pierce County’s library board proposed the arrangement to the Tacoma board last year, saying it was time break down the barriers between the two systems.

The library systems have not allowed cross-borrowing since 1979.

Library patrons are increasingly mobile and want reciprocal borrowing, Pierce County library spokeswoman Mary Getchell said earlier this year.

During the trial period, a Tacoma resident who wants to borrow from Pierce County or use the county’s online services will be able to sign up for a Pierce County library card, just like a county resident. Likewise, a Pierce County resident who wants a Tacoma library card may receive one for free.

Fife, Fircrest and Ruston are not part of Pierce County’s library system, and will therefore still need to pay for library service in Tacoma, library Director Susan Odencrantz said.

Currently, a non-Tacoma resident can buy a Tacoma library card for $56 per year, or $38 for six months. A Tacoma resident can buy a household Pierce County library membership for $121 per year, giving everyone in a family access to libraries or online services.

Pierce County already has reciprocal agreements with six library districts, and a recent pilot reciprocal agreement with the Puyallup Public Library was deemed a success and continued.

The agreement between Tacoma and Pierce County will be assessed quarterly and at the end of the trial period to see how it’s going, Odencrantz said.

Jason Hagey: 253-597-8542

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