How do I know what has fines and what does not?
At some libraries it will be easy to tell. Most things in the Children’s Room will be fine free, while things in the Adult section will have fines. But, typically, board books, picture and chapter books, children’s DVDs, and children’s multi-media kits will not have overdue fines.
Note that some “cross-over” titles might be shelved in multiple locations within a library. For example, copies of Harry Potter books, could be shelved in both the Children’s section and the Young Adult section and Frozen DVDs might be shelved in both the Children’s section and the Best Seller section. If you are unsure which items will or will not have overdue fines, ask staff for help.
What about Young Adult collections?
Only Children’s materials will become fine free at this time, so library collections that are coded as Young Adult or Adult will continue to accrue fines. If you are unsure which materials will and will not have overdue fines, ask staff for help.
What about personal responsibility? How will kids learn if there aren’t any fines?
We are eliminating overdue fines on Children’s materials because we want to encourage ALL children to use the library, to explore library collections and become lifelong readers. We will continue to charge replacement fees for materials that are never returned, or are lost or are returned damaged, so we believe this new policy is a good balance between reducing barriers and instilling responsible behavior. We also know that young borrowers must depend on others to bring them to the library and to monitor due dates. Older patrons are more able to manage their materials and schedules and have transportation options to get to the library. As such, we will continue to charge overdue fines on Young Adult and Adult materials.
Don’t the libraries need the fine money?
Overdue fines make up only a small fraction of a library’s budget. This year, the total revenue from overdue fines is projected to equal only 1.8% of total countywide library operating expenses, and projected fines from Children’s materials will account for less than 1%. Fine revenue has been declining for some time. WCCLS libraries work hard to help people avoid fines! We’ve increased the number of renewals allowed, and increased loan periods for some formats. We also offer:
- Local library amnesty or “Food for Fines” days
- Easy ways to renew items by telephone or online
- Email or text reminders to renew or return materials before they become overdue
- E-book collections that never become overdue
The overwhelming majority of patrons return materials on time. By making changes we will eliminate barriers for children’s use of the library and maintain modest incentives to encourage timely return of other materials. We assess fines as an incentive to return materials, not as a punishment or to generate revenue.
What about fines currently on my account?
If your library card is blocked because of overdue fines or lost materials, we’d like to work with you! If you return long overdue materials, we will waive the replacement charges (we really do just want the materials back). Libraries may also be willing to waive other fees, so come talk to us. Your local library staff will work with you to get your account cleaned up so you can use the library again.