Fine Free at #alamw18

How are overdue fines preventing you from meeting your library’s core values?

Yesterday, I attended a session on going fine free at your library presented by three library administrators who have gone fine free in some form. The effects of fines and fees is an important issue for youth librarians to consider since children and low-income families are disproportionately hurt by libraries enforcing overdue fines.

Peter Bromberg, Gretchen Caserotti, and Sara Houghton presented on why and how their libraries have eliminated overdue fines and what effects they have seen.

They started the session by asking why libraries have overdue fines. Although librarians were quick to answer – to ensure our materials come back, to teach responsibility – there is little to no research that supports that fines are effective in these ways. Instead, fines are barriers for the families that need our library resources the most.

If you’ve not considered making your library fine free or want to know more about it, the presenters suggested starting with the white paper Removing Barriers to Access: Eliminating Library Fines and Fees on Children’s Materials prepared for the Colorado State Library.

What do you think? Has your library considered eliminating overdue fines?