Where Do Library Fines Go?
I learned something veeeeeeeeery interesting due to my work on a local committee. I always assumed that library fines were kinda sorta a good thing for the library. Sure, the book stayed out a little later, pissing off the people behind you in line, but the flip side is that the library gets a little money. Right?
Wrong.
At least, not everywhere. It varies from library to library. Some libraries put the money into a general fund that is used to purchase more books. But some library systems transfer the money to a general county or town fund. Which means the library may not benefit from the fines at all—it could fund some other program or service in the county. That’s how our system operates.
Our library is trying to move to a fee-free system, eliminating library fines, which makes the most sense if you want people to use the library. Which librarians do because librarians rock.
7 comments
I would be torn if people actually cared about fines they rack up. But my library friends have told me about people who lose their cards due to fines, and then use a family member’s card and accumulate more fines. Some people are never going to honor the rules, so maybe fine-free is best. It’s hard to think of another way to get people to comply, though.
I had no idea it worked like that. I always thought, when late with a book, that at least I was helping to buy more books.
If it were fine-free, what’s to keep some people from just keeping books?
Nooooo! Oh man, so I accidentally (okay fine, I have poor executive functioning skills sometimes when it comes to due dates like these) rack up fines, never more than $5, but still I feel so shameful and guilty when I pay it but then my running joke is “well, it’s my way of supporting the library, ha ha ha ha.” I am so sad this may not be true! And also that I should probably ACTUALLY donate to my library so they can buy books instead of keeping them past their due dates.
I wonder if there can be some other way to encourage timely returns or renewals, if they get rid of fines? Because Lori’s point is valid…sometimes the fear of fine keeps people from keeping the books and discovering a secret stash of library books when they move. Could they do something more rewards-based, like if you turn them in on time that you can earn credit towards the library book sale or something? Or get first crack at library events? I haven’t used the library at all since the pandemic, other than my school library when I volunteered to help put back all the books returned on the last day, three days later to ensure no viral loads. I left with a few books then, but school libraries just give you a bill to replace the book if it’s gone too long, and if you have outstanding library loans they don’t let you walk across the stage at graduation. I have seen many seniors come racing in to the middle school library in May to return books they found so they can go to the ceremony!
Our library is now fee free. I like that it takes the pressure off, though truthfully I return books on time and will continue to do so. And that’s what my librarian friend shared with me – the data shows that fines are not a deterrent. People who return on time will continue to do so.
That is disappointing about how the funds may be used, however.
As a librarian, I can confirm that library fees and fines go into the general fund for the county and not directly into the library’s budget. However, our budget that we get from the county is much higher than anything we would get in fees and fines, so I figure it all balances out.
Our local library recently also went fine-free, and reported that they were motivated by having learned that fines disproportionately affect the disadvantaged (I don’t know how they examined that issue, but certainly the finding makes sense). So on that basis, I’m delighted at the decision and figure I should start making donations (which at least in theory, thought perhaps not practice, may be tax deductible for me, unlike fines).
I try to return books on time but particularly those checked out by or for my teenage son, for whom the, “No, really, you have to read a book!” message is not always a welcome one, sometimes get misplaced and … not returned for a noticeably long time (NB: generally these are not books in high demand!).
The Lisbon libraries are fine free. If you are late returning a book, you just get a suspension from the libary for the amount of days of the delay. Still some books keep disappearing.