Effective Jan. 3, 2027, the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) will discontinue free library cards for residents of three Northern Kentucky counties—Boone, Campbell and Kenton. Those counties have been able to obtain a complimentary CHPL card under a reciprocal borrowing agreement that allowed cross‑state access to the system’s resources.

Change to the reciprocal agreement

The library announced that the existing agreement will expire at the start of 2027. Current cardholders from the three Kentucky counties will retain their privileges until the Jan. 3 deadline, after which their cards will no longer be valid for free borrowing.

Cost for out‑of‑state patrons

Anyone residing outside Hamilton County who wishes to use CHPL services will need to purchase a non‑resident library card. The annual fee is $90, the same amount charged to residents of the affected Kentucky counties after the change takes effect.

Impact on patrons

Library officials said the decision was driven by budget considerations and the need to allocate resources primarily to Hamilton County residents. The move aligns CHPL’s policy with many other municipal libraries that charge non‑resident fees for access to their collections.

Community members who rely on the library for research, job‑search assistance, and educational programs have expressed concern about the added cost. Local parents, seniors, and students in the three Kentucky counties previously benefited from free access to books, digital media, and public computers.

What remains unchanged

Residents of Hamilton County will continue to receive free library cards, and the library’s core services—including in‑person assistance, online databases, and community programming—remain available to all cardholders.

The library encourages anyone affected by the change to consider the non‑resident card option if they wish to maintain access to CHPL resources. Information about the application process and payment methods is available on the library’s website.

Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.