Depending on where you live, you have FREE access to one of THREE different library systems locally: Spokane Public Library, Spokane County Library District, and Liberty Lake Municipal Library. Which system is your system? What are the differences among them all? And is there a way to use resources from a library that is not within my resident system? Let’s discuss!
Spokane Public Library | City of Spokane Municipal Government
Citizens who live within the city’s boundary can get a library card here for free for unbarred access to everything the seven libraries in this system have to offer. Spokane Public Library cardholders can also get an SCLD library card to check out physical items through something called a “reciprocal agreement”.
Spokane County Library District | Operates for residents of Spokane County
Spokane County Library District serves the 279,000 residents in Spokane County and the affiliated cities and towns of Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Latah, Medical Lake, Millwood, Rockford, Spangle, Spokane Valley, Waverly, and Airway Heights. Residents of these areas can access SCLD for free with unbarred access to any resources they offer. County cardholders can access services from Liberty Lake Municpal Library and Spokane Public Library through a reciprocal agreement with a few exceptions.
Liberty Lake Municipal Library | City of Liberty Lake
The City of Liberty Lake has their own library system for residents who live in the city’s boundary. Liberty Lake residents can also get a Spokane County Library District card through a reciprocal agreement with SCLD.
What’s a Reciprocal Agreement?
A reciprocal agreement means that any cardholder can access select services from the neighboring library systems. If you are using a card from outside your service area, you can check out physical items.
You cannot:
- Check out digital resources or downloadable audiobooks and eBooks
- Check out passes (such as Museum Passes and MAC passes)
- Access subscription databases
- Request items through interlibrary loan
If you do not live within Spokane city limits, you may purchase a card $42 per year or $3.50 per month (per card). In addition to all in-library services, this fee includes full borrowing privileges, including eBooks and audiobooks, in-library internet access, and remote access to subscription databases. It does not include interlibrary loan services. At SCLD, the annual cost is $140 per household. Note that checkout limits and policies differ.
