Late fee

In the late 1800s, as modern circulating libraries began making checking out books possible for the general public, concerns rose about books being taken out and never returned. To encourage the return of books and to help fund the replacement acquisition of new books, libraries began assessing a fee on late books.[1] For example, when the Aberdeen Free Library in Scotland opened in 1886, borrowers were fined a penny a week for every week a book was held longer than a fortnight.[2]

Public libraries in New York began charging overdue fees in the late 1800s at a rate of 1 cent/day. That increased to 2 cents/day in 1954 and 5 cents/day in 1959. Before removing late fees in October 2021, the most common fee among New York City public libraries was 25 cents/day.[3]

In recent years, many libraries have stopped charging fines.[4] The Public Library Association and the Association of Library Services to Children have asked libraries to reconsider policies that keep low-income teens away for fear of fines.[5] Many libraries also offer alternatives and amnesties in order to encourage patrons to return overdue books. "Food for Fines" programs, in which borrowers donate canned food in exchange for fine forgiveness, are common in libraries all over the world. Some libraries offer children and teens the option to "read down" their fines by reducing fines based on the amount of time spent reading or the number of books read.[6] Other libraries may block access to library privileges until materials are returned.[7] Librarians have had a longstanding debate over whether or not to charge late fines.[8]

The American Library Association’s Policy 61 entitled, “Library Services to the Poor,” highlights the removal of all barriers to library and information services, particularly fees and overdue charges”.[9] Other researchers have argued for waiving fees if it is a barrier for continued use of the library.[10] It is imperative that the library staff understands the financial situation of the patrons it serves. This barrier to use—the fines that low-income people cannot afford—is an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Gehner (2010) proposes that libraries work with the community to find out their need and to build relationships.[11]^: 45 He also found that overdue fines could be a limiting factor, too. Since libraries face limited funding, fees and fines represent both a source of revenue and a barrier to use.[11]^: 43

In January of 2019 the American Library Association (ALA) published its "Resolution on Monetary Library Fines as a Form of Social Inequity", which described monetary fines as an economic barrier to access to library materials and services, as well as a barrier to public relations and more valuable use of library staff time. Considered contrary to the mission of the modern public library, the ALA called for libraries to eliminate such barriers.[12] Later that year, due to the economic hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic, many libraries suspended fines for late materials. Realizing the ability of their systems to absorb the economic costs of eliminating fines, many library systems eventually made the decision to go completely fine-free, long after the pandemic restrictions were lifted. [13]

Some libraries have stepped up enforcement and collection of late fees. People who do not return library property after an extended period of time may face arrest or a negative action on their credit reports in some jurisdictions.[14] Patrons have been arrested for not returning library books in Colorado, Washington state, Iowa, Wisconsin and Texas.[14] Punitive measures such as these are typically used to recover stolen library property, not to enforce late fees. In some institutions, patrons are responsible for paying the cost of replacing lost items. [15]