Task Number One: Conversations about Library Services

A library districting effort always begins because someone wants to improve the current public library service.

In some cases, public library service is non-existent. There is no public library that is easily accessible. People must drive many miles to get to a public library. They may have to purchase a non-resident card, because they are not being taxed for library service. [Remember: Public library service is not free.] Some public libraries simply do not have the tax base to provide adequate service, even when they serve everyone in their community. A districting effort that consolidates two or more libraries can often create
better library service by eliminating duplication of services and taking advantage of economies of scale. Sometimes, a districting effort may occur because a city library board recognizes that library services cannot be adequately supported by the city or because there is confusion about the roles of the city council and the library board in governing the library. So, library districting begins with a desire to improve library service.

The community wants either to establish tax-supported library service or to improve existing library service. As participants talk about this issue, they find out that other people also want to have better library service. If a library already exists in the area, supporters may bring their concerns to the library staff or to the library board. This may cause the library board to begin looking at the creation of a library district as a possible way of meeting those needs. Or the people themselves may form an informal group with the idea of improving public library services.

At this point in the process, the people who are interested in improving library service need to be careful to assess public interest in library services. Just because you think of public library service as a public good does not mean that everyone does, particularly when tax dollars are involved. Libraries that do not promote themselves adequately cannot expect the community to understand the library’s value as a center of lifelong learning and economic development.

Your informal conversations should now become more deliberate. Talk about library service with your friends or in the groups to which you belong. Do other people join in the conversation, or is the subject quickly changed? Typically, if there is a perceived need, informal contacts will lead to the telling of stories about the lack of access to library service or about inadequate service. They will also help you to expand your group, as people may volunteer to help.

If the proposed districting project involves the service area of an existing public library, it is also very important that decision-making bodies for the libraries involved be kept informed about the assessment process from the beginning. Regardless of who initiates the districting process, be sure to keep all the appropriate people informed. This includes city library directors and board members, the city council, and the district library’s director and board. Objections or even indifference from any of these groups may be fatal to the process. It is vital, therefore, that these groups feel they have been fully informed about the districting process from the beginning. If possible, board members and library directors from existing libraries should be encouraged to take a leading role in districting efforts.

As you continue to talk about library services, it is also a good idea to find out about the history of library services in your area. If there is no library now, was there ever a library? If so, why did it close? If there is a library, is there anything in its history that would indicate problems for a districting effort? Was there ever a district in the area that was dissolved? Is there any history of antagonism between libraries in the area? Below is a brief history of library districting in Idaho.

Reality Check

“Public library service” means the provision of planned collections of materials and information services provided by a library established under the provisions of chapter 26 or 27, title 33, Idaho Code, and paid for primarily through tax support provided under these statutes. These services shall be provided at a facility, accessible to the public at regularly scheduled hours and set aside for this purpose. The services shall be governed by a citizen board appointed or elected for this purpose and shall be administered and operated by paid staff who have received appropriate training in library skills and management. The services shall meet standards established by the board of library commissioners. [See I.C. § 33-2702(6).]

A History of Library Districting in Idaho

1919 Pierce — Forms as a quasi-school-community library in Clearwater County.
1951 September 5 Snake River School-Community Library — Forms in Bingham County.
1952 Sugar Salem School-Community Library — Forms in Madison County.
1955 July 27 Grace — Froms with the same boundaries as Commissioners District 3 in Caribou County.
September 8 Council Valley — Forms with the same boundaries as School District 13 in Adams County.
1956 November 6 Boundary County — Forms with the same boundaries as
Boundary County.
1958 March 11 Oneida County — Forms with the same boundaries as Oneida County.
May 3 Latah County — Forms with the same boundaries as Latah County, excepting the city of Moscow.
July 29 Portneuf — Forms with the same boundaries as School District 25 in Bannock County, excepting the city of Pocatello.
August 12 Madison — Forms with the same boundaries as Madison County, excepting Sugar-Salem School Community Library District.
August 12 Nez Perce County — Forms with the same boundaries as Nez Perce county, excepting the city of Lewiston.
September 5 Bear Lake County — Forms with the same boundaries as Bear Lake County.
1962 May 22 Lewis County — Forms with the same boundaries as Lewis County.
June 5 Lost River Community — Forms with the same boundaries as Butte County.
1964 May 11 Kuna School Library — Froms in southwest Ada County.
1965 April 12 Boise Basin — Forms in the eastern portion of Boise County.
1966 January 24 Valley of the Tetons — Forms in the southern portion of Teton County. The remainder of the county joins the district on October 13, 1976.
August 22 Midvale — Forms with the same boundaries as School District 433 in Washington County.
November 8 Benewah County — Forms with the same boundaries as Benewah County, excepting St. Maries and Plummer.
November 8 Clearwater County — Forms with the same boundaries as Clearwater County, excepting Pierce District and Elk River School-Community Library.
November 16 South Bannock — Forms with the same boundaries as Bannock County, excepting the city of Pocatello and Portneuf District.
December 6 Freemont County — Forms with the same boundaries as Freemont County, excepting Ashton and St. Anthony.
1967 July 10 Richfield — Forms in the northern portion of Lincoln County.
November 27 Forms in the southwestern corner of Shoshone County.
1968 December 9 Little Wood River — Forms in the eastern portion of Blaine County.
December 17 Eagle — Forms with the same boundaries as the Eagle Water and Fire District in Ada County. Dissolves and is absorbed by the city of Eagle on May 31, 1974.
1969 February 10 Minidoka — Forms in the eastern portion of Minidoka County. Dissolved on May 13, 1986.
1971 December 13 Horseshoe Bend — Forms in the southwestern portion of Boise County.
1972 September 13 Mackay — Forms in the southwestern portion of Custer County.
October 19 Camas County — Forms with the same boundaries as Camas County.
November 7 Franklin County — Forms with the same boundaries as Franklin County, excepting Preston.
1973 January 8 Jefferson County — Forms in a portion of Jefferson County, excepting Ririe, Rigby, Lewisville, and Roberts.
August 1 Oakley — Forms in the southwestern portion of Cassia County.
November 13 Cambridge — Forms with the same boundaries as the Cambridge School District in Washington County.
December 1 Eastern Bonner — Forms in the eastern two-thirds of Bonner County, excepting Sandpoint. Sandpoint dissolves and is absorbed by the district on December 19, 1983.
1974 May 31 Eagle — Dissolves and is adsorbed by the city of Eagle.
July 1 Rockland School-Community Library — Forms in Power County.
August 27 Meridian — Forms in the west-central portion of Ada County, excepting the city of Meridian. The city of Meridian joins the district on August 26, 1975.
December 16 Eastern Owyhee — Forms with boundaries similar to those of the Grandview School District in Owyhee County.
December 16 Northside — Forms in an area north of Wallace in Shoshone County. Dissolves in 1980.
1975 August 26 Meridian — the city of Meridian joins the Meridian District.
October 28 Hayden Lake — Forms in an area north of Coeur d’Alene in Kootenai County. Dissolves into the Community Free Library District (CLFD) on September 30, 1986.
December 15 Pinehurst-Kingston — Forms in the western portion of Shoshone County.
1976 March 16 Kootenai County — Forms with the same boundaries as Kootenai County, excepting Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Harrison, Rathdrum, Athol, Spirit Lake, and Hayden Lake District. The city of Rathdrum joins the district on October 1, 1982. Dissolves into CFLD on September 30, 1986.
October 13 Valley of the Tetons — The remainder of Teton County joins the district.
December 13 Clark County — Forms with the same boundaries as Clark County.
1977 November 15 Wilder — Forms with the same boundaries as the Wilder School District in Canyon County.
1978 July 6 American Falls — Forms with the same boundaries as Power County, excepting the Boise Basin and Horseshoe Bend districts.
November 13 Garden Valley — Forms in the remainder of Ada County, excepting Boise Basin and Horseshoe Bend districts.
1979 December 10 Bruneau — Forms in the eastern quarter of Owyhee County.
1980 Northside — Dissolves.
May 12 Bonneville County — Forms with the same boundaries as Bonneville County, excepting the city of Idaho Falls.
May 15 Ola — Forms in the area surrounding Ola in Gem County.
1982 October 1 Kootenai County — The city of Rathdrum joins the district.
1983 October 17 Lizard Butte — Forms in and around the city of Marsing in Owyhee and Canyon Counties.
December 19 East Bonner — Sandpoint dissolves and is absorbed.
1984 August 30 Ada County — Forms from the remainder of Ada County, excepting Boise, Eagle, Garden City, Meridian District, and Kuna School-Community Library District.
1985 September 19 Nampa Surburban — Forms in the area surrounding the city of Nampa. Dissolves on July 1, 1986.
October 1 Consolidated Free Library District — Forms with the same boundaries as Kootenai County, excepting Coeur d’Alene, Harrison, and Post Falls.
1986 May 6 Jefferson County — The Grant area is added to the district.
May 13 Minidoka — Dissolves.
May 20 Hansen — The Hansen City Library dissolves into a district with the same boundaries as the school district in Twin Falls County.
July 1 Nampa Suburban — Dissolves.
September 30 Hayden Lake — Dissolves into CFLD.
September 30 Kootenai County — Dissolves into CFLD.
November 4 Unsuccessful attempt to add the city of Priest River and the southwestern part of Bonner County to the East Bonner District.
1991 December 17 Nez Perce Free Library District and Lewis County Free Library District consolidate to form the Nez Perce-Lewis County Libraries.
1992 November 3 North Bingham Library District — City of Shelley dissolves into a district with the combined boundaries of Firth and Shelley school districts.
1993 November 2 Latah County — City of Moscow joins the district after many years of operating jointly by contract.
November 9 Unsuccessful attempt to form Gem District, with the same boundaries as Gem County, excepting the city of Kellogg and the Clarkia District.
1994 May 24 Second unsuccessful attempt to form a district in Shoshone County.
November Harrison Library — Joins the Kootenai County Libraries.
1996 May Pinehurst-Kingston — Consolidate with Kootenai County Libraries and the Salmon Public Library to form the Lemhi County District Library.
1998 May Stanley District — Forms in Custer County.
May Nez Perce-Lewis Counties Library District — Annexation of Kooskia in northern Idaho County. The district’s name changes from the Nez Perce-Lewis Counties Library District to the Prairie River Library District.
1999 May Aberdeen Library District — Is established.
August Meadows Valley Library District — Is established in New Meadows.
November Prairie River District — Annexation of Kamiah.
November Priest Lake Library District — Is established.
2002 November Freemont County Consolidation — Ashton and St. Anthony.
2003 November West Bonner Library District — Annexation
2017 November 27 Donnelly Public Library District — Forms in Valley County, using the same boundaries as the fire district, about 1/3 of the county.
2018 May 18 Gooding Library District — Forms using the same boundaries as the fire district and including the city of Gooding.
2022 November Homedale District Library — Is Established.

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