Declare your freedom from fines!  Starting July 5^th, we will no longer charge late fees for items from our library that are returned late.  Existing late fees on items from our library will be wiped out.

We still expect you to return your items on their due date so that others may check them out. If you lose or damage materials, you will be charged.  Items from other libraries may also still incur late fees.

FAQ

Q: Does this mean I can just keep my items as long as I want?
A: No.  We still expect you to be responsible and return or renew your materials on time. Don’t deprive your friends and neighbors of the chance to check them out.

Q: Won’t removing late fees mean materials not being returned?
A: There is mounting evidence that libraries that go fine free don’t see a significant increase in items being returned late. In fact, some have seen more returns as people stop being afraid to come back to the library.

Q: I’ve always thought of my late fees as a donation to the library.  Can I still donate?
A: Absolutely!  We always accept donations that we use for cool things like the summer reading program.

Q: Will this mean the library will have to cut back on services?
A: No.  Last year, late fees only accounted for less than 1% of our budget.  Plus, we have already received a generous donation to cover the first year.

Q: Why did you decide to make this change?
A: There is a growing consensus that late fees have little efffect on timely returns and create an unnecessary burden, especially on lower income people.  We want everyone to feel welcome to use the library, not scared of collecting fees.

Q: Will there still be other fees?
A: We will still charge for lost or damaged items, since we need to replace them.  We will also continue to charge fees for printing, copying and faxing, since they help to offset some of the price of those services.