"Library Is One-Stop Shop For Income Tax Forms"

If we knew the date of our deaths just as we know the deadline for filing our tax returns, would we procrastinate making our funeral arrangements like we delay filing our tax returns? I think so! I can just imagine the scene at the mortuary or church where the soon-to-be deceased and relatives are clamoring to make last-minute arrangements. If there is nothing more certain in life than death and taxes, why do we procrastinate arranging for these certainties?

From around January 1st until the last hour we are open on April 15th the Columbus Public Library is visited by thousands of people in search of tax forms. For many of these people, this is the only time they are in the building. That’s unfortunate, but at least the Library is of service to these people once a year.

Thirty some years ago, the Internal Revenue Service discovered that public libraries had the very best service hours of any public institution. Libraries are open for more hours than post offices or banks. Also, public libraries had service-oriented staff who are willing to help citizens find the right forms.

So, the federal government began courting public libraries to help the Internal Revenue Service reach the nation’s tax payers. Over the years, the distribution of forms has been streamlined so that public libraries received multiple copies of just about every imaginable form. They also receive books of “reproducible” forms and instructions which can be photocopied by the patrons.

Some public libraries have discontinued the tax form service. They cite the extra work and the malcontent patrons who either do not find the form they want or expect the library staff to help them “decide” on which forms to use. At the Columbus Public Library we have had patrons become angry because we have run out of a particular form or because we expect the patron to pay for the photocopying of the reproducible forms. Some tax payers have expected the Library to give them legal-size envelopes for their federal returns because the state provides one free in its tax package.

Eventually, the Columbus Public Library will phase out of providing this great service to the public. Already, we have less tax payers coming into the Library because they are obtaining their forms over Internet. As electronic filing of tax returns becomes more popular, the use of the printed tax forms will diminish. But for now, the forms will be available at the Library until 9:00 PM on Tuesday, April 15th.