Library to forgive fines, but patrons must return materials | The initiative will give patrons a chance to clear their accounts.
The Library will help its customers enter 2021 with a clean slate, as a campaign to eliminate overdue fines kicks off in December. This process will give patrons a chance to clear their accounts.
Although the Public Library will waive fees for overdue materials, costs for materials that are not returned will still be charged.
Library Executive Director Aimee Fifarek said that with the effects of COVID-19 on the economy and employment, now seemed the right time to implement this policy.
“Removing barriers to library use has always been one of our priorities,” she said.
“We derive very little of our income from overdues – less than 1 percent in overdue fines and cost of lost materials,” said Fifarek. “But the most important impact to us is that people may not use the library for fear of accruing costs they cannot afford.”
“Most of our patrons are very conscientious about returning their materials – it was one of most frequent questions we received while our book drops were closed early in the pandemic,” she said. “It’s important to us to get materials into people’s hands – and equally important to get those materials back so that they can be enjoyed by other patrons.”
During December, patrons should speak with a Library staff member about waiving all existing fines, bringing back long-overdue items, and being issued a replacement card, if needed.
“We are happy to be able to bring about this change for the benefit of our community. We know that people love their library and want to be able to continue to use the materials on our shelves, and now overdue fees will no longer be a deterrent,” Fifarek said.
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