By 1808Delaware
Beginning Monday, July 20, Delaware County District Library cardholders will receive up to $3.00 in free printing daily, a change library leaders say will expand access for patrons while also reducing the transaction costs and administrative burden tied to small payments.
At the library’s standard rates of 5 cents per black-and-white page and 15 cents per color page, the daily allowance could cover as many as 60 black-and-white pages or 20 color pages. Patrons with larger print jobs will pay only the amount above the $3.00 daily limit. The balance will reset automatically each day.
A Small Charge With A Larger Cost
The move follows research by DCDL into how patrons use printing services and what it costs the library to collect relatively small payments.
“The Delaware County District Library values ease, convenience and accessibility for our patrons,” DCDL Fiscal Officer Angie Grossenbacher said. “While accepting credit cards as payment for printing is incredibly convenient, it is not without cost to the library.”
The numbers help explain the shift. In 2024, the library received $59,313 in credit card payments but paid $7,168 in associated fees, equal to 12 percent of the amount collected. In 2025, credit card collections rose to $70,960, while the library paid $6,452, or 9 percent, in fees.
Those payments include patron charges for lost items, copying, Maker Studio materials and printing. Printing alone accounts for 40 percent of DCDL’s total credit card usage.
Library officials found another significant number during their review: a $3.00 daily free-printing allowance would cover approximately 80 percent of all printing jobs across the Delaware County District Library system. That means most patrons who come to a library branch to print a document would pay nothing at all.
Learning From Other Libraries
DCDL also looked to peer library systems that already use limited free-printing models.
“We’ve spoken with our peer library systems, and they have found that a limited free printing model significantly reduces cash handling, fees, and fiscal processing time,” said project leader and Liberty Branch Manager Sara Arango.
For Arango, the change also reinforces the broader value of library membership.
“Implementing this system at DCDL is just another reason why your library card is the most valuable card in your wallet,” she said. “With up to $3.00 in free printing per day, we continue to emphasize the affordability and access that a public library brings to the community.”
The free allowance will be available only to users with a Delaware County District Library card. Copying services are not included in the daily cap. For patrons who do not yet have a card, eligibility extends far beyond Delaware County. All Ohio residents may sign up for a library card at any public library in the state, regardless of the city or county where they live.
Removing One More Barrier
Library officials say the change could be particularly meaningful for people who depend on public computers and printing for school, employment, government paperwork and other everyday needs.
DCDL Director Bryan Howard pointed to students, job seekers, parents, taxpayers and learners among those who may benefit.
“We know that the more we remove barriers, the better we serve our community and meet them where they are,” Howard said.
The individual savings may sometimes appear modest. A short resume, school assignment or government form might otherwise cost only a few cents or a quarter to print.
But Howard said the impact can be greater for patrons who need those services most.
“Paying a quarter to print a resume or a homework project may not seem like a lot,” he said, “but offering it for free will create a lasting impact for our patrons who need it.”
Starting July 20, that impact will arrive automatically, $3.00 at a time, every day a cardholder needs it.
And always remember — you can access all the news for free online on 1808Delaware, at DCDL computers connected to the Internet.
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
