Interviews
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
2019 (Articles are updated on a rolling basis)
Say Goodbye to Overdue Book Fines [Amery WI] (The Amery Free Press)
The Times Recommends: Vote Yes on Seattle 2019 Library-Levy Renewal (Seattle Times)
Elizabeth Taber Library [MA] is Fine with No Fines (Sippican Week)
Dubuque [IA] Library Ditching Fines for Overdue Materials, Amnesty for Existing Fines (KCRG)
No More Overdue Fines for Children’s Books at San Antonio [TX] Libraries (KSAT)
Richland [SC] Library Gets Rid of Overdue Fines (Post and Courier)
Pittsburgh [PA] Public Library Eliminates Overdue Fines (The Morning Sun)
Late Book? No Problem. Harrison County [KY] Public Library Eliminates Fines (WDRB)
Camden County [NJ] Forgiving Most Overdue Library Fees Soon (KYW)
Alameda County [CA] Library is Going Fine Free (PR Newswire)
Marshall [WI] Library Going Fine-Free (The Courier)
Columbus [OH] Public Library No Longer Charging for Overdue Fines (Columbus Journal)
Altoona [WI] Library Going ‘Fine Free’ to Encourage More Reading (WQOW)
Oakland [CA] Public Library to Get Rid of Fines and Late Fees (KQED)
Eau Claire [WI] County Libraries Go Fine-Free (WEAU)
Montclair Public Library [NJ] Eliminates Late Fines for Overdue Books (NorthJersey.com)
(Way to go, Pete! -A)
[Grand River MN Regional] Library: No More Late Fines for Kid, Teen Items (KNSI)
Dallas City Council [TX] Axes Library’s Overdue Fines, Plans to Zero-Out Past Fines (NBC DFW)
Canyon Area [TX] Library is Now Fine Free (KFDA CBS 10)
St. Paris [OH] Library Ending Overdue Fines (Urbana Daily Citizen)
Maricopa County [AZ] Libraries to Stop Charging Late Fees (AZ Central)
Arlington [MA] Libraries are FINE FREE (Blog post)
Griffith Community [New South Wales, Australia] Embraces No Library Fines (Mirage News)
[Czech Republic] New Bill to Prevent Children from Falling into Debt (Czech Radio)
[Tulare CA] County Library Closes the Book on Late Fees (Sun Gazette)
Kent District Library [MI] Will Eliminate Late Fees Effective June 1 (Mlive.com)
Newfield [NY] Public Library Going Fine Free (Ithaca.com)
[Johnstown NY] Public Library No Longer Charging Fines (Leader-Herald)
Austin Public Library Eliminates Fines on Materials for Juveniles (Austin Daily Herald)
Iowa City Public Library Preparing to Go Fine-Free for Children’s, Young Adult Materials (9ABC)
Liberty Lake Library Eliminates Fines on Late Returns (Spokesman-Review)
Why the Dallas Public Library Wants to Close the Book on Late Fees (NPR)
Part of Seattle’s $213 Million Levy Would Eliminate Overdue Library Fines
Library Fines Hit Seattle’s Lower-Income Neighborhoods Hardest
FORGIVING: Driftwood Library’s New Overdue Fine Policy
Library Fines Abolished in Plan to Double Membership (Irish Times)
2018
Denver Public Library Eliminates Fines (KDVR)
Baltimore’s Pratt Library Goes Fine Free for Overdue Books
An Overdue Discussion (American Libraries Magazine)
Reaction: Fines are Discriminatory (Letter to the Editor) (American Libraries Magazine, September/October 2018)
“Unless the fines are going to be based on income, they are inherently discriminatory, and it makes using the money for operating expenses absolutely unconscionable. It puts the burden of supporting the library on those least able to afford it and is antithetical to the profession’s ethical positions.”
The Fine Free Library: One Year Later (Medium)
Death to Library Fines (The Outline)
Doing Fine(s)? (Library Journal)
A survey of libraries that collect fines.
The End of Fines? (Library Journal)
Mayor Suggests Fine-Free Libraries So “Everyone Can Check Out a Book” (Intellectual Takeout)
2017
The Case Against Library Fines – According to the Head of the New York Public Library (Quartz)
Long Overdue: Why Public Library are Finally Eliminating the Late-Return Fine (Slate)
Libraries are Dropping Overdue Fines – But Can They Afford To? (Huffington Post)
Libraries Are Fining Children Who Can’t Afford to Be Without Books (New York Times)
2016
In San Jose, Poor Finds Doors to Library Closed (New York Times)
2013
Little Library with a Big Heart (Library Journal)
via the Internet Archive
2009
2007
How One Overdue Book Can Hurt Your Credit Score (New York Times)
Better Late than Never (School Library Journal)
“… the issue of late fines almost always comes up. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when the Columbus (OH) Metropolitan Library surveyed their young patrons and discovered that 41 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds said their library cards were blocked due to overdue materials. These kids weren’t using the library because they couldn’t afford it.”
2006
Grassroots Report: A Fine Madness (American Libraries) [Excerpt]
Oct2006, Vol. 37 Issue 9, p45-45. 1p (found via Academic Search Premier)
Philadelphia Backs off Fine Policy (Library Journal)
2/15/2006, Vol. 131 Issue 3, p20-20. 1/8p.
“A year ago, the library doubled daily book fines to a formidable 50¢ per day but, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, that actually deterred use. “Fewer books were coming back, and people were not paying fines…but, more important, we saw evidence that fewer people were borrowing books,” director Elliot Shelkrot told the newspaper. Fine revenue for 2005 was $760,000, down from the $780,000 it collected the previous year. So the library has reversed its policy, and fines are now 25¢ a day.”
2005
Time to Free Public Libraries?
(APLIS. Dec2005, Vol. 18 Issue 4, p129-130. 2p.)
(found via Academic Search Premier)
1999
To Fine or Not to Fine?
(American Libraries. Sep99, Vol. 30 Issue 8, p75. 3p.)
(found via Academic Search Premier)
