Printing at the Houston Public Library has undergone some changes recently. For a long time, using the library printers required a small fee, but temporary free printing was available for a period starting in July 2023. However, as of November 1, 2024, printing charges have been reinstated. Understanding these changes will help you effectively utilize the printing services available at your local Houston library.
Why the Change in Public Printing Policies?
The shift in printing policy stems from security issues experienced by the Houston Public Library. Over the past year, numerous after-hours break-ins targeted the coin boxes attached to printing and copying machines. These incidents resulted in significant property damage across multiple library locations, costing thousands of dollars. To address this vandalism and enhance security for library patrons and property, the Houston Public Library, in conjunction with the Harris County Public Library system, transitioned to a cashless printing system. This move eliminates the vulnerable coin boxes and modernizes payment methods.
Understanding the Costs for Prints and Copies
Currently, users can pay for printing and copying services using credit cards or mobile payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay. For black and white prints, the cost is $0.15 per page, while color prints are priced at $0.50 per page. It’s important to note a couple of payment stipulations: there is an automatic $5 credit card hold applied per transaction, and a minimum charge of $1 is applied regardless of the number of pages printed. This means even a single black and white page will cost a minimum of $1 due to the transaction fee and minimum charge policy.
Addressing the Temporary Free Printing Period
Some library users may recall a recent period where printing was offered for free. Indeed, the Houston Public Library managed to offer temporary free printing, with a notable volume of approximately 19,893 free prints and copies per month out of an average monthly total of 40,000. This was made possible due to a discounted vendor rate. However, this discounted contract expired at the end of October 2024, making it unsustainable for HPL to continue providing fully free printing services for all customers moving forward. The cost to provide completely free printing for everyone is estimated to be around $170,000 annually, a cost that is not currently feasible.
How Houston Public Library Printing Services Compare
It’s important to recognize that the Houston Public Library’s current approach aligns with trends across the country. Research indicates that offering completely free printing services is no longer a common practice in public libraries nationwide. The move to cashless payment solutions, as adopted by HPL and Harris County Public Library, is also a response to security concerns and an effort to modernize service delivery.
Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at Houston Public Library: A Summary
To utilize Houston Printing services, you can easily print from library computers or your own devices by visiting the Mobile Print page for detailed instructions.
Scanning is available for free at all public printers. You can scan documents and save them to a USB flash drive. Remember to bring your own USB drive as the library does not provide them. For dedicated free scanning, SimpleScan devices are available at several locations, including:
- Alief-Henington Regional Library
- Central Library
- Collier Regional Library
- Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus
- Flores Neighborhood Library
- Johnson Neighborhood Library
- Jungman Neighborhood Library
- Kendall Neighborhood Library
- McGovern-Stella Link Regional Library
- Oak Forest Neighborhood Library
- Park Place Regional Library
- Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library
- Scenic Woods Regional Library
- TECHLink Dixon
- Vinson Neighborhood Library
- Young Neighborhood Library
Unfortunately, faxing services are not currently offered at Houston Public Library locations.
In conclusion, while completely free printing is no longer available, Houston Public Library continues to offer essential printing and scanning services with a modernized, cashless payment system to ensure security and sustainability.
