WAYNE COUNTY, PA — A federal review of the types of facilities allowed to offer passports has affected local libraries that provided the service, impacting a revenue stream for those libraries. 

The Hawley Public Library announced on Thursday, October 30 that it could no longer participate in the passport program. “Recent reviews of qualification criteria and compliance standards for passport acceptance facilities at the federal level have established that private, charitable, non-profit or other types of non-governmental organizations are not permitted to serve as passport acceptance facilities, read the announcement. “Unfortunately, as a non-profit, this means we are not eligible to participate in the program going forward.”

Hamlin Library also offered passport services. According to the library’s website, passport application processing was one of the library’s primary revenue streams.  

Brandt Ensor, system administrator with the Wayne Library Alliance (WLA), told the River Reporter the two libraries had served as passport registration sites for over 15 years. 

Ensor estimated that Hawley would lose around $8,000 a year from the change, and that Hamlin would lose around $30,000, or 10 to 15 percent of its budget. 

He said that the program was a benefit to the community, as it made it easier for people to get passports at places where they were already going, rather than having to make separate dedicated trips. 

The Hawley library said that those in need of passport processing services can contact the prothonotary office at the Wayne County Courthouse at 570/253-5970, ext. 4030.