Cleveland Public Library Director Felton Thomas, during his “State of the Library” address at the City Club Wednesday afternoon, announced that the library system would be going “fine free” beginning in July.
(The current fines for overdue books are $0.10/day; for DVDs and reference items, $1.00/day.)
The question of whether or not to abandon fines is evidently a hot button issue in library circles. Those systems that maintain fines do so because they are a vital revenue stream; those that stop charging fines generally do so to encourage wider usage of the library system.
“Fines absolutely discourage people from using the library,” said the Director of the San Rafael, Calif., Public Library, in American Libraries Magazine, “especially those in the community who could most benefit from library services.”
CPL is this year celebrating its 150th Anniversary with abundant programming and community partnerships to celebrate its history. Going fine free is just the tip of an extremely festive iceberg. The best way to celebrate? Go to the library!
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2019.
Well, I guess this is what happens when the sheeple voters of Cleveland vote yes for every single tax Levy thats on the ballot at every single election cycle!!!
In this instance, in 2017, a ma$$ive library Levy AND renewal both passed at the ballot, So, in addition to the six-figure salaries of lots and lots of administrators, now they dont even have to charge fines anymore!!!
So nice to know that my hard earned, outrageous property tax money can be so frivolously spent in ways like this!!!
People actually use the word “sheeple” unironically? Dear sweet Jesus, stop the world, I want to get off.
Well, morons do.
No, it’s not that the library doesn’t need the funds. Even with the terrific taxpayer support, need always outstrips resources. It’s that fines discourage library use, and it costs money to have staff maintaining a fines system. Deciding the best way to spend taxpayer dollars is hardly frivolous.
More handouts to the people whose word means nothing. Free to borrow and all you have to do is keep your promise. I guess thats too difficult for some people.
Sam, you think this is good? Youre really quite a pathetic man.
The county library system waives fines for geezers over 65, so the city is going them one better. Lakewood is hard-ass about fines, because so many people with money live there. Most places will limit the fine to the value of the book or maybe a little bit more. But if you forget to return some books to lakewood, and they forget to tell you about it, when you do find them and return them, they accept NO excuses and will make you pay for every goddam day you had them…even after SIX YEARS. Ask the man who knows.
The only reason I can think of for fines discourages library usage is because people are worried they won’t be able to return the books. So is the library saying people don’t have to return the books EVER! Is there not some point when they will try to get the book back or charge the person for the cost of the book? Also, will they continue to send reminders that a book is due? What about “HOLDS”? Currently they can tell you when a book will be back in stock but now it sounds like it could be anytime. I am less concerned with the lost revenue stream from collection of fines as I am with the re-stocking fee for all of the books that will never be returned.
If I didn’t return them on time, paying an overdue fee for the books has always been fine with me.