Procedure
Is your patron in the free service area?
- Free service area map
- Unknown zip code or county, look up the address with USPS ZIP code lookup.
If NO, they are not in the free service area:
Do they qualify for any of these cards?
| Educator card | Teachers and educators who live or teach in the Free service area can get a card. This includes childcare, pre-school, kindergarten through college, online academies, home school education, GED, literacy, and other community educators. They do not have to show proof of status. | See, Educator accounts. |
| Long term visitors | They can use the address of the place they are staying, even a hotel address to get a free library card. | See, Requirements for accounts. |
| Passport card | A patron has a library card from a participating Oregon passport library. |
See, Passport program. See, Passport directory |
| Reciprocal card |
The reciprocal agreement allows residents of participating areas to receive library services at any MIX library. Reciprocal libraries are:
|
See, Free service area |
| Students | Students who live or go to school in the free service area can get a card. | See, Free service area. |
| Taxpayer card | A patron who lives outside of the free service area but can show a property tax statement for the current year, can get a free library card for themselves and their household. | See, Taxpayer cards. |
| Volunteers | If a person lives outside the free service area but volunteers for the library they can get a card. | See, Free service area. |
If the patron doesn’t qualify, are they interested in paying for a card?
| Fee card | Patrons can purchase a one year library card for $180. This includes all members of their household. Note: Fee cards are not transferable between library systens. |
Does the patron need to use a computer?
- Give them an internet guest pass.
What if the patron has an account but they are outside the free service area?
- Change the Profile Name to 5_Update.
- Add a comment saying: "Out of the free service area JLJ/GRG 12/15/2023."
Rationale
Much of the library's financial support comes from property taxes paid by residents of Multnomah County. Reciprocal libraries are also supported by local taxes.
The reciprocal agreement (Metropolitan Interlibrary Exchange (MIX) allows residents of participating areas to receive library services at any MIX library.
The Passport Program allows card holders from participating Oregon libraries, who are also paying taxes to support library services in Oregon, to receive library services at other participating libraries.
Patrons who live outside the free service area provide financial support with taxes or a library card fee. See Taxpayer cards and Fee registration cards.