How is a librarys service area determined? Why does NPL claim some municipalities and not others?
A library’s service area is based on population size and the amount of money that a library can spend per capita. When the Perry County Library System was formed in 1980, NPL’s service area was comprised of the municipalities in the Newport School District-Newport Borough, Oliver Township, Juniata Township, Howe Township, Buffalo Township, and Miller Township. Due to various changes during the mid-1990’s (including the closing of the Greenwood Public Library, housed in Greenwood High School), NPL had to expand its service area to include the Greenwood School District-Millerstown Borough, Greenwood Township, Tuscarora Township, Liverpool Borough, and Liverpool Township-so that all municipalities were included in the service area of the Perry County Library System. Until the revision of the Library Code in 1999, which increased the minimum per capita spending from $2 to $5/capita, NPL was able to include all of both Newport and Greenwood School Districts in its service area. With the inc
