Jackson residents can turn to the Madison County Library System when they find the Eudora Welty Library, the Willie Morris Library or any other Jackson-Hinds Library System branches closed for any reason or if they just find it more convenient.
The Madison County Library System offers free library cards to people who live in Hinds, Attala, Holmes, Leake, Rankin, Scott, Warren and Yazoo counties, each of which borders Madison County.
“It is our board-approved policy to offer library cards to residents of bordering counties who work or attend school in Madison County or who, because of proximity, are meeting daily needs including shopping, entertainment and healthcare in Madison County, thereby contributing to the local economy, not to mention the state and federal economies that also support our libraries,” said Tanja Johnson, executive director of the Madison County Library System.
“These patrons are very much a part of our communities and our libraries serve as their local public libraries.”
The Ridgeland Library at 397 U.S. 51 is the nearest option for Jackson-Hinds Library System patrons who use the Willie Morris Library, which in recent weeks has been closed while repairs are made after a pipe burst and flooded some of the building.
The Willie Morris Library in Jackson is opened following repairs. However the Eudora Welty Library is closed until further notice.
The Madison County Library System has just over 500 patrons from bordering counties, representing .009 percent of its 53,892 registered patrons, Johnson said.
Anyone who lives in a county that is not a bordering county can secure a Madison County Library System card by paying an annual fee of $30 or $20 for six month’s usage. About 65 individuals pay to do that, she said.
As a county/city library system, the Madison County Library System is supported by funds from each of the contracting entities including Madison County, the cities of Canton, Madison and Ridgeland and the town of Flora as allowed by state statutes as well as state and federal funds.
Just as city residents within Madison County pay county taxes to support the sheriff’s department and city taxes to support their local police department, they pay county taxes to support the overall county library system and city taxes to help support their local library branch within their city as is typical with any interlocal agreement, she said.
On average, Madison County residents pay approximately $18.84 per capita annually in total city/county tax dollars to support our libraries, Johnson said.
The Madison County Library System policy that allows residents of bordering counties to the use the system for free is based on the policies of several other library systems in the state, she said.
“We freely borrow materials regularly from other libraries in the state and throughout the country through an inter library loan program to meet the needs of our patrons,” Johnson said. “In fact, I currently have a book checked out that was borrowed through inter library loan from the Jackson-Hinds Library System. This is just one example of how libraries work together to serve everyone.”
The Central Mississippi Regional Library System, which includes Rankin, Scott, Simpson and Smith counties, will provide anyone who lives outside those counties a digital library card for free.
“The digital card only allows you to access our digital collection,” said Mara V. Polk, executive director of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System.
An individual who does not reside in Rankin, Scott, Simpson and Smith counties can pay $25 yearly for a library card, which would allow access to all of the services of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System.
Representatives of the Madison County Library System often heard comments such as “I wish I could get a library card but I live in another county” and they enjoy being able to respond that a card is available for free to individuals in neighboring counties, Johnson said.
“We feel like people who spend a lot of time in Madison County, whether for school or work or just to do business should be able to get a card,” she said. “It’s a courtesy.”
