I have overdue items, now much is the fine?
A little late? No problem. Return all items on your account, and there is no overdue fine. We love a fresh start.
05/18/21
Summit County Library no longer charges overdue fines on books and other items, and all accumulated fines for overdue and lost materials will be waived.
We wish to welcome back more than 1,000 library patrons who were blocked from further checkouts because of accumulated fines over $30. With overdue fines waived, those patrons now may enjoy full library privileges.
Benefits:
The new policy was approved by the Summit County Library Board of Trustees in February 2021 and implemented April 2021 in order to increase patron access to library resources. (For details, see their Summit Daily Letter to the Editor here.)
How to be a great Library user. Libraries are about sharing materials with others in the community. You will need to bring back or renew library items in a timely fashion. If you hold onto materials beyond the due date, the cost of the missing item will be billed to your card and access to library services will be blocked until the item is returned.
A little late? No problem. Return all items on your account, and there is no overdue fine. We love a fresh start.
No. Library patrons are still expected to return items on or before the due date. By keeping library materials, you are preventing others from using those items. Reminder notifications will be sent on the customary schedule (see below), and items not returned 30 days after they are due will be billed to the cardholder.
NOTIFICATIONS:
Courtesy Notice: Three days before due date by email or text
First Overdue Notice: One week after due date by email or text
Second Overdue Notice: Two weeks after due date by email or text.
Billed Notice: 30 days after due date by email. Account blocked and borrowing privileges suspended.
If items become 30 days overdue, the replacement cost of the item + a $5.00 processing fee is billed to your library account. Your library account will be blocked from using print or digital resources. Once paid in full, or if the item is returned, all charges are removed from your account and your will be library card blocked.
Fines are less than 1% of our annual budget. In the library’s view, giving up 1% of annual revenue in order to increase patron access to library resources is a worthwhile goal.
Eliminating fines helps people who need the library most regain full access to library services. Such fines were never intended to serve as a deterrent to using the library.
The ALA asserts that imposing monetary library fines creates a barrier to the provision of library and information services, and urges libraries to actively move towards eliminating fines.
As seen across the nation— from Denver to D.C., San Francisco to Salt Lake City, Nashville to Telluride-- public libraries of all sizes are eliminating library fines.
Studies have shown that overdue fines do not have any impact on return rates. Libraries across the country are eliminating late fines, with no reported negative outcomes.
We want to encourage use by all community members no matter their income. Late fines inhibit use by those who often need library resources the most.
Patrons are responsible to return library materials in good condition. The replacement cost of unreturned materials will be billed to the patron. Library accounts will be blocked when an item is 30 days overdue.
Overdue fines are not a significant source of revenue for the Library (less than 1% of the annual budget).
We value and care about our community.
We want to ensure that everyone can use our stellar collections.
We aim to make life just a little bit easier and less stressful for all.
Libraries that have eliminated fines generally report that most materials continue to be returned on time or within one week of the return date. Hold times – the amount of time patrons must wait for items to be returned by other patrons – were generally unchanged after libraries eliminated fines. Summit County Library will carefully monitor returns, hold times, and other metrics to ensure that the elimination of fines does not diminish the library’s convenience to patrons.
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