I’m sure most of you remember “The Library Cop” episode of Seinfeld, where the appropriately named Lt. Bookman tracks down the title character Jerry Seinfeld in search of a lost book from 20 years ago.
While meant to be funny, as a librarian, this portrayal and others like it that depict libraries as stingy and concerned about collecting overdue fines hurts a little. I believe in the power of a library system that is open to all regardless of someone’s abilities to pay an overdue fine.
To that end, I am happy to say that the Bartholomew County Public Library is officially fine free.
Patrons will still be responsible for paying for items that are lost or damaged, but gone are the days of paying a dime if you are a day late.
I know there will be many questions out there. The one I have heard most often: “How will you get the items back?”
This question assumes the premise that people return their books on time only because there is a financial penalty. The simple truth is that this is not the case.
A study prepared for Colorado State Library by Meg Johnson Depriest entitled “Removing Barriers to Access,” concluded that there was “no significant difference in overdue rates between libraries that charged fines and those that did not. And libraries that did not charge fines tended to have higher overdue rates in the short run, but lower overdue rates in the long term.”
The other truth is that library fines represent a true barrier to service to many members of our community.
Say a family comes to the library and checks out five items each for their three kids. Because of work schedules and life, they are a week late in returning those items. This now represents a $10.50 bill.
Ten dollars may not seem like a lot to many of you, but the reality is that it is a big deal. The likelihood is that this family will either not bring the items back because they can’t pay the fines or bring them back but never return because it is not worth the future stress.
If that is the case, then we have lost out on serving that family because of fines. Those children will not have access to our books for the rest of their childhood. This ends up being not just a loss to the family but a loss to the community as well. We need children (and adults) that see the value and power of reading and learning.
The other question I hear: “How will we replace the money lost by fines?” The truth is that fine collection makes up less than 1 percent of our overall budget. While any dollars lost are not something to be taken lightly, we firmly believe that this money will be recouped in staff time saved by preparing notices, taking money and discussing with patrons about the fines owed.
We also believe it will result in a better, more positive library environment for all. We want to be the place where everybody feels welcome and that the only requirement for entrance is an open mind.
