On May 19, 2022, the Charlotte Community Library’s board unanimously voted to go fine free as well as to forgive past overdue fines and to waive the original fee for DVD checkouts. People will remain responsible for replacement costs if an item is lost or damaged. Several factors were considered when making this decision, including;
Fines were originally created as a reason to return materials, however, they do not cause people to return overdue items quicker. Library materials do not belong to one individual so charging overdue items with a daily fee was supposed to be a reminder to have the items returned in a timely fashion. However, studies show that overdue fines do not lead to items being returned sooner. Instead, they create negative interactions and can cause people to stop using the Library. The Library will continue to send overdue notices and charge borrowers for lost or damaged items, but will no longer charge for overdue items.
The Library is not in the business of generating income. Since the Library collected overdue fines and DVD rental fees, it had to do something with the revenue. The Library has used overdue fines and DVD rental fees for operating costs. After investigating how much of the budget is bolstered by late fines and DVD rentals over the past years, it was discovered that only 0.8% of the Charlotte Community Library’s operating budget comes from fines or fees.
Collecting fines is expensive and creates negative experiences. Staff spend a lot of time dealing with overdue fines or DVD rental fees, and as such, the cost of staff time exceeds the amount of money raised by doing so. In addition, some of these interactions were upsetting for both staff and the public. Now, checkouts will be a positive experience.
Libraries across Michigan have already implemented similar policies, and the Charlotte Community Library is excited to become one of them. Eliminating fines and fees ensures that there are no barriers preventing someone from using the library’s services. In addition to being more efficient with the use of staff time, the Library will be able to increase checkouts, reduce negative and awkward interactions, and ultimately better serve our community.
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