Yankton Community Library

Services and Collections Page

 

GETTING A CARD -

Library cards are free to all Yankton City residents and people who own property within the city. Yankton County residents must pay a $5 co-payment with the county paying the remaining $25 for an annual card. Annual nonresident cards are $40. A summer card (from Memorial Day to Labor Day) can be purchased for $12. Transient resident cards (3-month validation) are also available for $12. A Transient is defined as a person not having a permanent Yankton city or county address and not permanently residing in the area, but currently staying in the area, motel, hospital visit, long-term vacation, house-sitting, etc. Yankton school teachers and Mount Marty College students can also get special cards. In order to get a library card, you must provide an ID with proof of current address and fill out a signature card. All nonresident cards are issued as family cards - one card per family which can be renewed annually. Resident cards - Children over the age of 3 can get their own library card which is kept at the Library. Children 14 years-old or older can get an adult card. Cost for lost/damaged card replacement: $1.00. Cards are nontransferable and must e renewed annually.

MATERIALS AVAILABLE, LOAN PERIODS & FINES -

The Library has over 70,000 adult popular fiction and nonfiction, children's and YA books, reference materials, magazines, newspapers, entertainment and nonfiction videos/DVDs, audio books (both CD and audiocassette formats) , compact discs (CDs), and art prints for loan. Purchase suggestions/ holds are always welcome - just fill out a post card available at the circulation desk. If we don't own it, please request it through interlibrary loan. Adult fiction cannot be checked out by children under 14 years-old, without prior parental approval. You must be at least 18 years-old to check out videos.

Materials Fines per day or week/Loan periods):

(Fine Maximum $10.00 on all items)

Most items can be renewed and all materials except videos/DVDs have a 1 week grace period. All materials except art prints can be returned in the outside book drop. Books and audio books normally checkout for 3 weeks, videos/DVDs checkout fro 1 week, magazines check out for 1 week, framed art checks out for 2 months.  Checkout item limits for Videos/DVDs: 4 per card, CD music: 5 per card. Patrons are responsible for all lost/damaged items checked out under their card plus processing fees.

COLLECTIONS, SERVICES & FACILITIES -

YCL maintains a diverse collection of both nonfiction and fiction titles for adults, young adults and children which includes classic titles and best-sellers. Multiple copies of best-sellers are available through a leased-book collection. The Library also subscribes to over 114 popular magazine titles and over 15 national and local daily newspapers. CD music is available for loan as well as both unabridged and abridged audio books in CD and audiocassette formats. We also have a large collection of videos in cassette and DVD formats - both nonfiction and feature titles suitable for adults and children. We have an extensive reference collection with special collections of Yankton and South Dakota (mostly focusing on contiguous counties to Yankton County). We hold the entire run of microfilm of the Yankton Press & Dakotan daily papers since 1869 (the Press & Dakotan being the oldest daily newspaper in the Dakotas). 

ABOUT YOUR LIBRARY -

The Yankton Community Library (YCL) is a city library (population about 15,000) funded through city property taxes and governed by a board appointed by the mayor/city commission. Through a contractual agreement with Yankton County, the Library provides service to county residents, serving a total population of about 25,000. The Yankton community has a strong history of library support dating back to the town's inception with the subscription libraries of the Historical Society, Forum of the Literary Society of Lyceum and the Library Association (1880-1887). In 1887, the South Dakota legislative body passed a law allowing for the establishment of public libraries in communities over 500 population. Thanks to a gift from the Carnegie Foundation, the [free] Yankton Carnegie Library was built and established on October 8, 1903 serving the community until 1973, at which time a new 15,000 sq. ft. building was built at a new location. YCL is the oldest public library in the Dakota territory. Today, the Library strives to maintain a diverse, dynamic collection supplemented by computer access to the South Dakota Library Network (SDLN), (YCL being a full member since 1996) a consortium of over 85+ public, college and school libraries across the state. The YCL staff prides themselves on providing quality library service to patrons. The goal is to make library service as valuable as garbage service (and as missed after 3 days!).  If you have purchase suggestions or service improvements that you would like to see, please tell one of them or e-mail me at the library.  Thank you for your support and continued use of the Yankton Community Library.

The Carnegie Foundation helped build 25 library buildings in South Dakota, donating $254,000 to the State. Opening on Oct. 8, 1903, the Yankton Carnegie Library was the first public library in the Dakotas. Standing at the corner of 4th and Capital St., it is the current home of a restaurant and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Since that time, the Library has been supported by City tax funds. In 1972, through a combination of federal LSCA funds and local tax dollars, a new 15,400 sq. ft. building was constructed at a cost of $250,893. In 1996, the interior of the single-story building was remodeled to include a quiet/local history room and create more reading space.

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