Salt Lake City Public Library has eliminated late fees for recalled books and media materials, following a trend among US libraries. The American Library Association urged the move in 2012, arguing that fines create barriers to library use, particularly for those on low incomes. The Salt Lake City Library Council expects to lose $75,000 in revenue, less than 1% of its budget. Other libraries in Illinois, Massachusetts, California and Ohio have also removed late fees, arguing that they discourage those who need books most.
The Salt Lake City Public Library system has joined a growing national trend among public libraries: It will no longer charge a fine for late returns of recalled books and other media materials. In 2012, the American Library Association urged facilities to eliminate fines because they create barriers to library use. While the fines are typically small, they can add up and be an unaffordable expense for people at the lowest end of the socioeconomic scale. The new policy introduced by the Salt Lake City Library Council follows similar decisions across the United States, including library districts in northern Illinois, Massachusetts, California and Ohio.
Better late than never:
The Salt Lake City Public Library system expects to forego projected revenue of $75,000 USD by not collecting late fees, less than 1 percent of its entire operating budget.
Library officials who have made similar decisions say the fines discourage people who need the books most. They say removing fines can increase library use and better serve the community.
In Ohio, Patrick Losinski, CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, explained, “We’ve had 150 years of trying to teach customers about timeliness or responsibility, and I don’t know if that’s our greatest success story.”
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