Mentor Library providing tax instruction booklets for checkout this year

The IRS is not sending tax instruction booklets out this year, but Mentor Library is making some available for checkout at all of its branches.

This year, the federal government is not providing 1040, 1040 A or 1040 EZ tax instruction booklets to libraries, as they have in previous years. Consequently, it may be more difficult for some people to find these booklets during this tax season.

However, Mentor Public Library is helping by making some of these tax instruction booklets available for checkout, starting in Monday, Feb. 2

MPL patrons can borrow 1040, 1040 A or 1040 EZ instruction booklets at its Main, Mentor-on-the-Lake and Headlands Branches. They can each be checked out for three days.

To be clear, the 1040, 1040 A and 1040 EZ tax forms will still be available for pickup, as opposed to checkout. But the federal government is not sending any other tax forms or instructional booklets.

However, the instructional booklets are also available for download on the Forms & Publications page of the IRS website. If someone is averse to downloading or printing the booklets, they can order them from the IRS website or by calling 1-800-829-3676. The IRS site says its takes between seven and 15 days for ordered documents to be received in the mail.

The Mentor Public Library will still be receiving local and state tax forms, and they will be available for pickup starting Feb. 2.