by Zach Miller
Quick Summary
Libraries offer their communities much more than the books on their shelves. In Grand Rapids, Minnesota, they even offer passport applications and renewals.
If there's no traffic whatsoever, driving to Duluth and back from Grand Rapids takes three hours. To Minneapolis, it's six hours. That's the travel time Grand Rapids residents used to have to invest to get to a passport. Now all they have to do is head downtown to their public library. That's because the Grand Rapids Area Library is a U.S. Department of State-endorsed Passport Acceptance Facility. That means the library has passport application and renewal forms for first-time applicants and minors, who can submit them to library staff.
"Library staff are natural helpers, and they're really good at guiding people through a complicated process," says Will Richter, the library's director. "Also, some people are hesitant to interact with the government, and the library can feel more welcoming." The result is an interaction that's more pleasant and convenient for patrons. The library benefits when patrons see the library's value and what it offers beyond the passport service.
Even the mayor of Grand Rapids, Tasha Connelly, has taken notice. "Having a Passport Acceptance Facility located in our library is a significant community asset! In fact, my family and I got our passports there just this year. We didn't have to travel far, the service was expeditious and efficient, and the staff were highly knowledgeable on the whole process. Now I can't imagine not having this service available in our out-state community."
To become a Passport Acceptance Facility, a library has to apply and be cleared by the Department of State, which then sets a requirement for the number of staff the facility will need to serve their area. In Grand Rapids, four library staff are trained Passport Acceptance Agents. Their training took about eight hours, and was offered online or in-person through the Department of State.
The library charges an Acceptance Fee for the service, set at $35 and mandated by Congress. The monies collected do constitute a small benefit to the library budget, but the service's real value, according to Richter, is "that it allows library staff to have a positive experience with people who might not otherwise come in."
If you think your library is ready to offer this service, email the U.S. Department of State's dedicated mailbox to get started.
