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The recent USPS rate increase for first class was only 2 cents but it had a much greater effect on library rate. 

The user fee for the Media Center was last raised in 2002.  Since then, the USPS postage rate for library has been raised twice, going from $1.75, to $1.97, to the new rate of $2.34.  This is the one-way charge.  The Media Center traditionally supplies the return postage tag with each resource which would currently double the postage cost to the Media Center to $4.86.  Also in the last two years, with the introduction of DVD format, distributors have packaged multiple sessions on one DVD.  VHS tapes were formatted with one session on each tape.  Multiple sessions on one DVD has also greatly reduced the profit margin with each mailing.

The small difference the Media Center profits with each mailing is used for operational expenses; supplies, promotion, software purchases, website hosting, etc.  Avoiding raising the user fee has caused this profit to shrink over the years, to the point now where it is now unavoidable.

Regrettably, as of July 1, 2007, the user rate will raise from $5.00, to $6.00.  We are hoping this will help us recover, not only from the USPS rate hikes since 2002, but the profit loss we have incurred over the past five years.  We hope this does not affect your ability to use the Media Center in your ministry.