When it comes to the city-county disagreement over library services, we're reminded of Yogi Berra's famous line - "it's like déjà vu all over again."

But unlike Berra's wonderful misuse of words, this divisive debate about how much county residents should pay to get library services from the Rapid City Public Library is growing tiresome. It threatens to become a protracted, yearly contract issue that benefits no one and hurts the larger community.

We urge the county and the library board to bring a more conciliatory tone to the negotiating table. Try viewing the discussion as a wonderful opportunity to provide library services to all county residents, no matter where they live, instead of as an annoying burden on the budgets of both entities.

That's how staff at the Siouxland Libraries in Sioux Falls, a city/county library system that was created in a 1995 merger, sees it.

In that system, Minnehaha County provided $708,815 by library-designated mill levy for Siouxlands's 2007 budget (plus about $20,000 in other funds for a special bookmobile project this year.)

That helps pay for four large libraries within the Sioux Falls city limits and eight small branch libraries in various towns throughout the county. The library board is happy with that level of subsidy by the county and, by all accounts, county residents are pretty happy with their library services.

By comparison, Pennington County raised $368,000 in 2007 through a library mill levy, which is charged to all county residents who live outside a city limits (except the few residents of Wasta and Quinn, who also pay it.)

The bulk of that money went to the Rapid City Public Library for services this year, which seems reasonable to us, when compared with the much larger Sioux Falls population.

But if the library board can prove that the approximately $350,000 budgeted by the county for a 2008 contract does not cover the county's fair share, then Pennington County commissioners should raise the mill levy for library service.

Unfortunately, the board has not provided any reason thus far for its decision to exclude non-city residents; Pennington County officials have been much more forthcoming. If it is a cost issue, the board should outline for the county why charges need to be increased.

It's as clear as the smile on the face of any young child leaving the library with a big stack of storybooks in hand that libraries are wonderful places. Allowing more people to use them, without the expense of an annual library card fee, is a greater social good that both city and county residents should be willing to pay for.