As families and individuals work to make their dollars go further, the Batavia Public Library can help.
While we can’t cut home prices or slash the cost of some of life’s necessities, the Batavia Public Library will reduce one cost for our patrons this summer. The library will go fine free for most items July 1, ending fines for overdue books, videos, music, video games and more.
The library offers all these educational and entertainment sources for free to patrons in addition to a host of services, programs and special events. And the library goes much further, providing free Wi-Fi hot spots, musical instruments, a projector and screen for movie nights and additional expensive tech devices.
Providing free access to these items saves individuals and families untold sums of money each year, but sometimes patrons may forget to return them when they’re due. And sometimes patrons may avoid visiting the library or checking out materials because those fines are hanging over their heads.
Eliminating fines removes an important barrier to access so everyone, regardless of their financial situation, may feel comfortable visiting the library as much as they’d like.
Fines for overdue items are not a money-making mechanism for the library. The revenue the library receives from overdue fines is between 0.17% to 0.22% of the library’s total revenue.
Now some might wonder how we’re going to make sure items are returned without those overdue fines.
When an item is overdue by 21 days, the patron’s library card will be blocked so they cannot check out additional materials. As soon as the overdue item is returned, the block will be removed and their card can be used.
A patron’s library card also will be blocked once the patron accumulates $10 in fees.
Some of the more expensive items in the library, such as musical instruments and a Bluetooth speaker, will have a late fee kick in once those items are overdue. A $1 a day late fee will be added to their account.
The library also will continue charging replacement fees for lost or damaged materials. An item will be billed as lost at 42 days after it was due.
Libraries eliminating fines isn’t new. Our closest neighbors, Geneva, St. Charles and Messenger public libraries, no longer charge fines for overdue materials.
The goals, after all, are for materials to be returned and for patrons to enjoy visiting our library.