Systems are required to provide a laundry list of services to their members, whether or not their members want them or perceive them to be of any value and whether or not they have the resources available to do a good job in all areas. The many obligations of systems causes a dilution of resources that can result in an unfocused and mediocre service program. In an environment of limited resources, it is also difficult for systems to be responsive to needs expressed by members when they have to worry about addressing state mandated service requirements. We need to develop a model that will enable systems to pursue excellence, even if only in narrowly focused areas. Nonresident borrowing issues will only be resolved by action at the state level.
Public libraries join systems to receive the benefit of state-funded programs and services.
In addition, libraries agree to accept certain responsibilities and obligations of membership. In an ideal world, the benefits of system membership would far outweigh the obligations. There are two reasons why we've never reached this utopia. Second, throughout their history systems have received insufficient funding to offer a package of benefits with a value far in excess of the value of member obligations. For a system to stay in business its members must determine that there is a net value in membership.