Dallas City Code ch. 24, art. I — IN GENERAL | Dallas City Code (7/2026 Code (S-33): Vols. I-II current through Ordinance 33447, passed June 10, 2026; Vol. III through Ordinance 33484, passed June 24, 2026) — City of Dallas

Dallas City Code § 24-1 “PUBLIC LIBRARY” DEFINED.

SEC. 24-1. “PUBLIC LIBRARY” DEFINED. For the purpose of this chapter, the words "public library" shall mean the public library of the city. (Ord. 31215)

Dallas City Code § 24-2 FAILURE TO RETURN LIBRARY PROPERTY.

SEC. 24-2. FAILURE TO RETURN LIBRARY PROPERTY. A person commits an offense if he takes or borrows from the public library any property, including, but not limited to, books, pamphlets, periodicals, papers, and works of art, and fails to return the property to the public library within 30 days after the date the property is due. (Code 1941, Art. 72-2; Ord. Nos. 18093; 31215)

Dallas City Code § 24-3 PUBLIC LIBRARY FEES AND CHARGES.

SEC. 24-3. PUBLIC LIBRARY FEES AND CHARGES. (a) A person who damages an item of library property shall reimburse the public library the costs of repairing or rebinding the item. (b) A person who loses or damages beyond repair an item of library property shall pay an amount equal to the retail cost of replacing the item, plus a reprocessing fee of $20. The retail cost and reprocessing fee for replacement of a lost or damaged item may be waived if a person replaces the lost or damaged item with a comparable item of equal or greater value. (c) Nonresident user fees. (1) Nonresidents of the city who use the public library shall pay a fee of: (A) $25 to borrow five items of library property; (B) $60 to borrow 15 items of library property; and (C) $250 to borrow unlimited items of library property during a 12-consecutive-month period. (2) The following nonresidents are exempt from the fees established by this subsection: (A) a city of Dallas employee; (B) an active volunteer for the city of Dallas public library system; (C) all students or teachers in any educational institution located in the city of Dallas; (D) a person participating in the TexShare Card program, but only for items and services covered by that program; and (E) any other person exempted by city council resolution. (d) Photograph reproduction fees. (1) The fee for a digital reproduction of a photograph is $25 per image for a one-time publication or website use in a single language in one country. This fee does not include charges for broadcast or publishing copyright permission. (2) In addition to the fee required in Subsection (d)(1), the following fees will be charged for for-profit broadcast or publishing copyright permission based on usage: (A) $50 per image for commercial exhibition. (B) $200 per image for commercial reproduction or re-sale. (C) $50 per image for a one-time print use in a single language worldwide. (D) $100 per image for a one-time print or electronic (e-book) use in all languages worldwide. (E) $100 per image for a one-country broadcast use in a single language only. (F) $150 per image for a world broadcast use in a single language only. (G) $300 per image for a world broadcast use in all languages. (3) In addition to the fee required in Subsection (d)(1), the following fees will be charged for non-profit broadcast or publishing copyright permission based on usage: (A) $25 per image for commercial exhibition. (B) $100 per image for commercial reproduction or re-sale. (C) $25 per image for a one-time print use in a single language worldwide. (D) $50 per image for a one-time print or electronic (ebook) use in all languages worldwide. (E) $50 per image for a one-country broadcast use in a single language only. (F) $75 per image for a world broadcast use in a single language only. (G) $150 per image for a world broadcast use in all languages. (4) The total fee calculated under Subsections (d)(1), (d)(2), and (d)(3) will be increased by: (A) 100 percent if a one- to five-day turn-around time is requested; and (B) 50 percent if a six- to 10-day turn- around time is requested. (5) The following additional fees for delivery and media will be charged if required for an order: (A) $3 for postage and handling. (B) $3 for CD authoring. (e) A person requesting research by a staff member of the public library shall pay a fee of $20 per half hour, which fee will include up to four photocopies. Additional photocopies may be purchased for $0.25 per page. Each person making a request under this subsection will be limited to one hour of research and 50 photocopies per month. The director may waive up to 25 percent of the charges for research requested by a corporate member of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library. (f) The fee for a printout from an electronic database is $0.25 per page for a black and white printout and $0.75 a page for a color printout. (g) A fee of $20 will be charged for each public library account turned over to a collection agency for the purpose of recovering any money or property owed to the public library. (h) A person making an interlibrary loan request shall pay a fee of $3 for each item received from a library outside of the city of Dallas public library system pursuant to the request. (Ord. Nos. 20612; 21431; 22206; 24411; 24929; 25048; 25754; 26598; 27353; 28792; 29149; 31215; 32020; 32863)

Dallas City Code § 24-4 LIBRARY FEE AMNESTY PERIODS.

SEC. 24-4. LIBRARY FEE AMNESTY PERIODS. (a) The library director is authorized to administer two annual amnesty periods during which the library, at the request of a library card holder, may forgive some or all fees and charges accrued in accordance with Sections 24-3(a) and 24-3(b). (b) The amnesty periods may not occur for longer than one month in duration, and the library director shall not administer more than two amnesty periods in any fiscal year. (Ord. 31215)

Dallas City Code § 24-5 BOOKS FROM HOUSES WHERE THERE IS CONTAGIOUS DISEASE - GENERALLY.

SEC. 24-5. BOOKS FROM HOUSES WHERE THERE IS CONTAGIOUS DISEASE - GENERALLY. Every person in any house where there is a contagious or infectious disease shall deliver to the director of public health, at such house, any book, periodical or publication that he may have which belongs to the public library. The director of public health shall at once cause such book, periodical or publication to be disinfected and returned to the public library. (Code 1941, Art. 72-5; Ord. 31215)

Dallas City Code § 24-6 SAME - NOTICE TO BE GIVEN BY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

SEC. 24-6. SAME - NOTICE TO BE GIVEN BY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH. It is hereby made the duty of the director of public health of the city, whenever he finds that there is any contagious or infectious disease in any house in the city, to at once give written notice of this fact to the librarian of the public library. (Code 1941, Art. 72-4; Ord. 31215)

Dallas City Code § 24-6.1 PENALTY.

SEC. 24-6.1. PENALTY. A person violating a provision of this article is guilty of a separate offense for each day or part of a day during which the violation is committed, continued, or permitted, and each offense is punishable by a fine not to exceed $50. (Ord. Nos. 18093; 31215)