Round Rock City Council is poised to approve an ordinance April 25 that would begin charging nonresidents an annual fee to use the full services of the Round Rock Public Library.

The overview

The city of Round Rock removed nonresident fees in 2015, a unique decision for a library in the region, according to city officials. However, the library has seen a steady increase in nonresident patrons, especially following the opening of the new library in 2023, according to city documents.

Nearly half of the library's visitors do not reside within the city limits of Round Rock, Senior Library Manager Geeta Halley said.

The proposal to implement tiered fees is an effort by the city to “strike a balance between cost and accessibility, ensuring services remain affordable and inclusive for members of the community,” city documents state.

The library has proposed the following tier membership options:

Tier 1: resident

• Access: full access to all library resources
• Cost: $0
• Membership length: two years

Tier 2: nonresident

• Access: limited access to library resources and privileges
• Cost: $0
• Membership length: one year

Tier 3: nonresident

• Access: full access to all library resources
• Cost: $120 per card
• Membership length: one year

The cost of Tier 3 nonresident membership is based on the estimated value of services residents pay for library services through their taxes—equating to $10 a month. If approved, the changes will go into effect May 10. City Council will vote on whether to implement the fees during its April 25 meeting.

Put in perspective

Halley stressed the RRPL will not turn anyone away, but the nonresident fees would be used to help fund the digital resources paid for by the library, including premium databases, e-books and audiobooks.

“The focus needs to be on our residents,” Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said. “The demands are getting higher. That library—it's getting used massively. That's great, but at the same time it's our citizens paying for it, not our nonresidents.”