The Maniototo Area School in Ranfurly is no longer in a position to fund the lion's share of the Maniototo community library, principal David Hunter told the Central Otago District Council this week.
The library, on the school's grounds, functions as both the school and community library. The council funds about a sixth of its approximate $51,000 operating cost.
Mr Hunter said over the last three years he had been asking for a change in the funding model
but nothing had happened, which
was why he was submitting to the council's draft economic and business development strategy.
He said it was not feasible for a school with a roll of 170 to contribute such a large amount of money.
''We just can't justify the cost.''
Council corporate services manager Susan Finlay said any change in the funding model would present a ''major rating issue''.
Ratepayers in the Maniototo wards pay less than their counterparts in other wards for library services.
Council community services manager Anne Pullar said there were larger funding implications for the Maniototo district and it was something the council was looking at and would be discussing with the community board.
She said the hold-up with this specific problem might have had something to do with a ''changing relationship'' with the Queenstown Lakes District Council, referring to a cost-sharing relationship.
Mr Hunter said it was not a problem specific to Maniototo; area schools all over the country were facing the same issue.
