Types of Public Buildings

Public buildings are any type of building that is accessible to the public and is funded from public sources. Typically, public buildings are funded through tax money by the U.S. government or state or local governments. All types of governmental offices are considered public buildings. Public buildings generally serve the purpose of providing a service to the public. Many of these services are provided free to residents. This list includes public schools, libraries, courthouses and post offices.

Public libraries are a type of building that is accessible to the public. Libraries are funded from the government through tax dollars. Libraries offer services to residents in the local county. They are an essential part of communities and offer many types of services. People visit libraries for many purposes including checking out books, magazines, publications, music and movies. The public can also visit a library to access the Internet, make photocopies and to join different types of programs. Libraries often offer programs such as children’s reading programs, book reviews and crocheting clubs.

Another type of public building is schools. Public schools exist in nearly every town in this country. These schools are for grades kindergarten through 12th grade. Many public schools are divided by grades where elementary grades are held in a different building than junior high and high school. Public schools are also funded through the government. Children are required to attend school and the public schools offer free education to all students. Most public schools do however charge a technology fee and book rental fee.

Courthouses are a common public building found in nearly every county in the country. A county, which can be made up of several towns, typically has one courthouse for the entire county. The courthouse is a public building that is also funded through the government. The public utilize a courthouse for many different purposes. Trials are held at courthouses, important documents are retrieved and most health departments are located within a courthouse.

A post office is a government owned public building. A post office is a not-for-profit organization that is open to the public. The post office performs many different mail functions including receiving it, handling it and delivering it. The public can also rent post office boxes, obtain passport applications and purchase money orders there.