Summary Post: Going Fines-Free: A Pandemic Opportunity

Going fines-free in public libraries is a major trend that is increasing over the past year.

I’ve collected links to research and opinion about library fines for years on Stephen’s Lighthouse and I’ve pulled them all together in this post.

Although I believe that this is a pull-the-band-aid-off-quickly situation, sometimes libraries have to compromise to live to fight another day.  Fines is not an either-or proposition.  There are plenty of opportunities in this pandemic to meet the needs of our communities and our own public library needs and values too.  The other community services that engage in fines often make real revenue – we don’t really make enough cash to justify fines and if we do we’re charging too much (IMNSHO), when you consider the all-in costs and time commitments tied to just wrecking our customer satisfaction and image.

1. Eliminate late fines altogether and forever.
2. Phase it in as a bridge: Eliminate all late fines for the duration of the pandemic crisis (and maybe don’t revisit it until . . .  later . . .)
3. Eliminate late fines for children.
4. Eliminate late fines for children, tweens & teens, and post-secondary education.
5. Replace fines with food bank donations.
6. Promote the Hell out of it.  Change our dominant image buster that competes with out real value.
7. Carefully build stats and measurements for before and after (including knowing your full costs in terms of money, resources, and time that can be better applied to serving your community in positive ways.