End Library Fines Press Release (July 18, 2019)
Interviews
More Libraries are Going Fine Free. Here’s Why (Changing America)
Meg and Andy talk about the movement to eliminate library fines.
Denton, Fort Worth are the Latest Libraries to Get Rid of Late Fines, a Trend Some Say is Overdue (Dallas Morning News)
Andy talks about the national trend to eliminate fines in libraries.
Librarian: Ending Library Fines is a Social Justice Issue (KJZZ)
Andy talks about the evolution of eliminating library fines on KJZZ’s program The Show.
Princh Library Lounge, Episode 2: Library Fines with Meg DePriest and Beth Crist
Meg and Beth talk about the importance of ending library fines within communities and the impact it can make.
Articles
As of January 1, 2022, the articles section will no longer be updated.
For multiple articles about the same library, the most reputable source is chosen for inclusion; therefore, this is not an exhaustive listing of all library fine-free articles. In addition, websites that use paywalls to limit article access, require whitelisting through an ad-blocker extension, and/or have pop-ups or excessive ads are generally avoided.
As with all internet links to news articles, there is a distinct possibility that links will change without notice.
2021 Articles
Portland [CT] Public Library is Connecticut’s latest to go fine free (Middletown Press)
LA County [CA] Eliminates Library Fines (The LAist)
No more late fees: Elmhurst [IL] Public Library goes fine free (Daily Herald)
MidPointe, Lane [OH] Libraries End ‘Nickel and Dimed’ Fines in Butler County (Journal-News)
Jackson [MI] District Library is Going “Fine Free” Beginning September (Fox47)
Nevada County [CA] Library Ends Overdue Fines for Good (YubaNet)
Woodridge [IL] Public Library Announcing “Fine Free” Policy (Patch)
Darlington County [SC] Library Gets Rid of Fines on Overdue Books (ABC15)
More [NJ] Libraries Scrapping Overdue Fines (NJ101.5)
Crawford County [PA] Libraries Eliminating Late Fees (The Meadville Tribune)
North Adams [MA] Public Library Dropping Late Fees (WAMC)
Southeast Steuben County [NY] Goes Fine-Free (WENY)
Debt Forgiven: Here’s Why Brockton [MA] Public Library is Now Fine Free (Enterprise News)
Capital Area [MI] District Libraries Remove Fees and Fines (WLNS)
Prince William [VA] Libraries are Now Fine-Free (Prince William Times)
Pasadena [CA] Public Library Eliminates Late Fees (Pasadena Now)
Charlotte Mecklenburg [NC] Fine Free Library (WCNC)
All Louisville [KY] Public Libraries Going Fine-Free, Overdue Balances Thing of the Past (WLKY)
Burbank [CA] Public Library Eliminates Overdue Fines (KCAL9)
Buncombe County [NC] Libraries to Permanently End Late Fees, Forgive Overdue Material Fines (WLOS13)
Bristol [VA] Public Library Dropping Overdue Fines (WCYB 5)
Hartford [CT] Public Library Does Away with Late Fees (NBC Connecticut)
Alamance County [NC] Public Libraries Do Away with Overdue Fines (Fox 8)
Greenfield [MA] Public Library Eliminates Late Fees (Greenfield Recorder)
North Scituate [RI] Library is Fine Free (The Valley Breeze)
Greenfield [MA] Public Library Goes Fine-Free (WWLP)
Reading [PA] Public Library Going “Fine Free” (BCTV)
Gibsons [Canada] Public Library Ditches Late Fees (Coast Reporter)
Stamford’s [CT] Ferguson Library is Ditching Its Late Fines (Stamford Advocate)
Oldham County [KY] Library Waives, Eliminates Overdue Fines (WLKY)
Orland Park [IL] Library Goes Fine-Free (Patch)
Charleston County [SC] Public Library Goes Fine Free (Post & Courier)
Walla Walla [WA] Library Closes Chapter on Overdue Books (Union-Bulletin)
No More Fines at Elmhurst [IL] Library (Patch)
Summit County [CO] Library Eliminates Fines (Summit Daily)
Kennebunk [ME] Free Library Goes ‘Fine Free Forever’ for Equity Sake (SeaCoastOnline)
Union [NJ] Public Library Goes Fine Free (TapInto)
Tacoma [WA] Public Library Eliminates Overdue Fines (South Sound Magazine)
Forest Park [IL] Library Goes Fine Free (Forest Park Review)
Bristol [VA] Public Library to Become Fine-Free (Bristol Herald Courier)
Palmdale [CA] Library is Eliminating All of Its Late Fees (Antelope Valley Press)
[Jackson County] [WY] Eliminates Fines and Adds Seed Library (The Tribune)
Nebraska City [IA] Library Now ‘Late Fee Free’ (KMA)
Prince William County [VA] Removes Local Library Late Fines (WDVM)
New Chapter for Mornington Peninsula [Australia] Libraries – No More Fines (Mirage News)
Red Bank [NJ] Public Library Saying Goodbye to Overdue Fines (TapInto)
Goleta [CA] Discontinues Library Fines (News Press)
Scarborough [ME] Public Library Eliminates Overdue Fines (Press Herald)
Sault Ste. Marie [MI] Public Library Eliminates Most Overdue Fines (Sootoday)
Charleston [IL] Library Eliminates Late Fees (JG-TC)
No More Fines at Mitchell Shire [Australia] Libraries (The Telegraph)
Washington County [VA] Libraries Now Fine Free (WCYB 5)
[British Columbia, Canada] Regional Libraries to Eliminate Overdue Fines (Merritt Herald)
Welcome to Fine-Free Libraries [Canada] (Kamloops This Week)
Timmins [Canada] Library Eliminating Fines for Overdue Books (The Daily Press)
Yolo County [CA] Libraries to Stop Charging Adults for Overdue Fees (Daily Democrat)
Hennepin County [MN] Library Goes Fine-Free (Patch)
San Leandro [CA] Library Eliminates Late Fees for Overdue Material (KPIX 5)
Bradford [OH] Library Eliminating Overdue Fees (The Daily Advocate)
Crete [IL] Public Library Goes Fine Free (eNews Park Forest)
Richmond [Canada] Public Library Eliminates Late Fees (Vancouver Sun)
Canadian Libraries [Canada] Increasingly Scrapping Late Fees to Boost Access to Services (CBC)
Selover Library is Now Fine Free (The Morrow County Sentinel)
Jersey City [NJ] Free Public Library Eliminates Overdue Fines (Hudson Reporter)
Lied Scottsbluff Library Eliminates Past Due Book Fees (Star Herald)
Chatham Area [IL] Public Library Goes Fine Free (ABC Channel 20)
Cook Memorial Library [OR] Shelves Overdue Fines (The Observer)
Madison Heights [MI] Public Library Permanently Ends Library Late Fees (C&G News)
No More Late Fees at the Weyburn [Canada] Public Library (Discover Weyburn)
Lethbridge [Canada] Public Library Eliminates Late Fees (Lethbridge News)
Platteville [WI] Public Library Goes Fine-Free (Telegraph Herald)
Montgomery County [MD] Public Libraries Will No Longer Impose, Collect Late Fees (Source of the South)
Booneville [NC] Library Eliminates Late Fees (Times Record)
No More Library Fines? Hennepin County [MN] Library System Drops Late Fees (Press & News)
[Collingswood, Canada] Library Has Done Away with Late Fines (Collingswood Today)
Kitchener [Canada] Public Library Does Away with Overdue Fees for Good (CTV News)
Fletcher [VT] Free Library Goes Fine Free (VT Digger)
Washington County [OR] Eliminating Library Fines (KXL 101)
James V Brown Library [Williamsport PA] Discontinues Late Return Fines (Northcentralpa.com)
No More Late Fines at Paola [KS] Free Library (The Miami County Republic)
Pueblo [CO] Library District Eliminates Overdue Fines (KKTV News)
Superior [WI] Public Library No Longer Charging Late Fees for Overdue Items (WDIO ABC)
Santa Clara County [CA] Libraries Latest to Eliminate Late Fines (KPIX5)
Garfield County [CO] Libraries Go Fine Free to Start the New Year (Western Slope Now)
Arkansas River Valley [AR] Library System Goes Fine-Free (Booneville Democrat)