Policy

The Multnomah County Library is a distribution center for federal and Oregon State tax forms.

Rationale

Distributing tax forms is a community service that customers have come to expect from libraries and is a service not readily available elsewhere.

Application

Tax forms are available as paper forms, or downloads from electronic resources. All current year paper forms are self-service. Staff never offers advice to customers regarding which form to use or how to complete it. Customers are advised to call the IRS business numbers or download instructions from the IRS Web sites.

Each agency retains the current year of paper reproducible kits. Some agencies may retain up to three years of reproducible kits depending on space available.

The Central Library and each branch library designates a staff person to be responsible for ordering federal tax forms to satisfy customer demand in quantities manageable for their space allowance. Each year the IRS confirms order instructions for each agency. Additional supplies of forms can be ordered by calling the IRS HOTLINE at 800.829.2765.

Each library agency is responsible for ordering IRS reproducible kits, Package X, multi-volume publication sets, and for maintaining a list of Tax-Aide locations.

Community services orders Oregon full year and part year resident tax forms in quantity for the library system and distributes them through delivery after the first of the year. For additional supplies of Oregon forms, call the administration office receptionist at 85402. Oregon forms are also available electronically.

Two copies of Oregon Package B and 17.5 (reproducible kits) are ordered for each library location by community services.

Here is more information about electronic access to tax forms.

Procedures

1. Popular library staff is responsible for ordering, stocking and keeping inventory of tax forms at Central Library. Each branch has a designated staff member who maintains tax forms.
2. Central Library's reproducible kits are located at the Science and Business Room call desk near the copy machines. Bulk quantities of the most popular IRS and Oregon current year forms are in the self-service area of the foyer.
3. Each agency has the option of providing a site for the Tax-Aide program that provides tax preparation assistance by IRS-trained volunteers. Tax-Aide assistance is not available until after the middle of February when IRS completes the training programs. Central does not provide Tax-Aide assistance.
4. Those branches providing sites for Tax-Aide assistance mutually work out with the volunteers how to schedule appointments. Do not give a volunteer's phone number to customers.
5. Information Services keeps a list of those branches providing Tax-Aide and refers customers to the service.