Bemis Public Library has joined libraries across the nation and state in eliminating fines for overdue materials.
At a city council meeting on April 4, councilmembers voted unanimously to repeal the section of the city code that requires late charges for overdue library materials, ending a policy that had been in place at the library for about forty years.
The decision will also waive existing overdue fees on patrons’ accounts.
“It’s not really on a whim that we’re wanting to go fine-free,” acting library director Richard Allen said at the meeting.
Close to 70% of Colorado libraries do not charge overdue fees, Allen said, along with many others across the nation. Nearby, Aurora Public Libraries, Denver Public Libraries and the Arapahoe Library District do not charge late fees.
Prior to the decision, Bemis Public Library charged 20 cents per day for overdue fees for non-senior library patrons, Allen said. Englewood Public Library and Douglas County Libraries still have similar late fees in place.
To fine or not to fine?
Allen said people think libraries should charge late fees for three main reasons: to teach people responsibility, make them return items faster and provide funds for the library.
But these ideas, he said, are all misconceptions.
First of all, he said late fines interfere with the essential mission of libraries, which is not to teach responsibility.
“It’s to provide access to everybody — and if you can’t get everybody in, you’re not teaching anybody anything,” he said. “We are not there to wag our fingers and dictate what is and what isn’t responsible behavior.”
In addition, Allen said the majority of fees penalize children and teens, who often do not have control over when their materials are returned because they are under the stewardship of their parents.
In regards to the timeliness of returns, many proponents of removing late fees say there is no negative behavior change after eliminating fines. Experiences from many libraries support this idea.
In some cases, Allen said, returns actually increase after fines are eliminated because people feel they can return materials without shame.
Allen also said a lot of libraries have discovered that it costs more to collect fines than it adds to the libraries funding. In 2022, the city only gained $9073.55 in overdue fines, which made up less than 0.1% of the city budget.
“By the time you add in in time spent interaction with the person at the desk, labor costs, bookkeeping, all of those things — you’re actually losing money, charging fines,” he said.
Eliminating late fees increases usage, increases social equity, is fiscally sound, improves customer service and builds goodwill with library users, Allen said.
“We want people in the door, that is what we want,” he said. “People who suffer most from overdue fines are low-income families, people of color — we don’t want to block access for anybody, but especially for people who are already struggling with social inequity.”
Mayor Pro Tem Gretchen Rydin said she loved the idea because it’s backed by research, saves money and is better for the community.
“It’s thinking about making services available to everyone and taking into account variant circumstances, which I think we need,” she said. “I also love that this assumes the best in people and I think you’re right — we’re assuming trust. And that means so much in terms of creating healing connection in our community.”
Going forward, Allen said there will still be charges for lost and damaged items and the library will still send out overdue notices.
Library items that are 30 days overdue will be considered lost and will place a freeze on a person’s ability to check out materials, he said.