The economy has affected every area, and libraries have not been spared. In fact, they are usually one of the first places that funding is cut when state budgets need trimmed. Officials site that libraries are not a “necessary” service to the public. One state however, feels differently and is letting their citizens help support their public libraries in a very unique way – vanity license plates.
We’ve all seen them, those car license plates that are either funny, or have no meaning to anyone except to the driver — vanity plates. They cost a little extra in each state, but give motorists a traveling billboard for self-expression. That is what spurred the Kentucky Library Association to encourage the state to offer a license that motorists.
The state has just approved a license plate that supports Kentucky’s libraries.
The first license plate was presented to Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear by Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives Commissioner Wayne Onkst.
“Kentucky’s public libraries welcomed more than 20 million visitors last year who checked out more than 30 million books and other items,” said Gov. Beshear. “It’s clear that Kentuckians love their public libraries, and now they have another way to show their support.”
The new plate will cost $44 which includes the application fee, it will cost $31 when renewed yearly. When issued the motorists will have the option to pay an additional $10 to fund library science scholarships.
KLA Library Awareness Committee Chair and Logan County Public Library director Linda Kompanik said in a statement: “In this difficult economic climate, public libraries fill a critical need in the community. For years, we’ve had library users who expressed interest in a way to show their support for libraries of all kinds – public, academic and special libraries. This new license plate is a great way to do just that.”
