are libraries funded by state or local governments with the taxpayers’ money

### Why this is right A **public library** serves the general community and is typically supported by public funding, often through state or local government budgets. Those budgets can use tax revenue, money collected from residents and businesses to pay for public services. The funding source and broad community access distinguish public libraries from libraries tied to a particular school or institution. ### The concept Public libraries provide books, information, and other services to people in a community, usually without requiring them to belong to a school or university. Their tax support means residents contribute indirectly through government revenue, even if they do not use the library. A **national library** serves a country and is generally supported at the national level; a **school library** serves a school and is funded through its school or district budget, which may also include tax revenue. A **research library** is defined by its extensive resources for scholarly work, and it may be funded by a university, government, or another institution. | Library type | Main users or purpose | Common funding source | |---|---|---| | National library | A country’s national collections and services | National government | | Research library | Advanced study and research | University or other institution | | School library | Students and staff at a school | School or district budget | | Public library | The general community | Often state or local public funds | ### The other options - **A. National libraries**: These serve a country and are commonly funded by its national government, rather than state or local governments. - **B. Research libraries**: These support scholarly research, but their funding depends on the institution that operates them. - **C. School libraries**: These serve students and staff and are generally funded through a school or district budget. That budget may include tax money, which makes this option tempting, but the library is not primarily a community-wide public service. ### Watch out A library’s funding source can overlap: school budgets may include public tax revenue. The clearest distinction here is that public libraries serve the general community and are commonly supported directly by state or local governments. ### Terms - **Taxpayer**: A person or business that pays taxes to a government. - **Tax revenue**: Money a government collects through taxes to pay for public services. - **Public funding**: Money provided through a government budget for a service or organization. ### Remember When a question links community-wide library access with state or local tax support, think of a public library.