The Flathead County Library Board of Trustees has dropped a newly implemented 50-cent charge on credit card transactions amid legal concerns.  

Trustees voted on June 25 to dump the fee, which went into effect May 1, and instead bump the price of black and white copies from 10 cents to 15 cents per copy. The cost of 50 cents per colored copy remains unchanged. 

Prior to making the change in May, credit card fees were absorbed by the county library as part of its regular expenses. The library system paid roughly $600 in annual credit card processing fees, according to Library Director Teri Dugan. 

But in late May, trustees learned that a 2003 Montana law restricts credit card fees from capturing more than 3% of the total transaction.  

Dugan said the organization’s credit card system can’t be programmed to automatically calculate a 3% charge on sales. Library staff would have to do it manually, she said, which would slow transactions and increase the risk of human error. 

Dugan proposed imposing a fee for the county library’s currently free service to proctor exams, something she said she observed in other library systems. Another idea was to incorporate the fee into sale prices and offer a discount on cash transactions.  

But trustees ditched the latter idea after realizing it would burden bookkeepers, since credit card fees are recorded separately and deposited into a separate account.  

Since the county library’s copying service is one of its primary sources of sales, the board agreed it would be most effective to raise the price for black and white copies. Trustee Jane Wheeler pushed back on the proposal, however, doubting that people would cough up the extra 5 cents.  

“That’s too much for a copy, and I think we can absorb it in many other ways,” Wheeler said. “I think we’re being penny wise and pound foolish.” 

The motion passed on a 4-1 vote, with Wheeler opposed. The new price for black and white copies goes into effect on Aug. 3. 

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.