The Bitterroot Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously at their August board meeting to approve eliminating overdue fees for most items at the library effective Sept. 1, 2020.
“Late fines are not effective in getting materials returned on time,” Mark Wetherington, library director, said, “and they can often create a barrier to library use.”
“Eliminating late fines can have an immensely positive impact on our community by providing more equitable access to materials and library services for everyone,” Wetherington continued. “We’ve been looking at eliminating late fines for quite a while.” He also noted that fines are not a significant source of revenue for the library, accounting for less than half of one percent of the library’s total revenue.
”The amount of time it took for staff to process fines, answer lengthy questions related to fines of 10 and 20 cents, and so forth didn’t allow for any real profits from fines. It just kind of gummed up the works and wasn’t a productive use of time,” he continued. “The benefits far outweigh any possible drawbacks. We trust our patrons to be responsible and trying to teach them responsibility a dime at a time just didn’t make sense anymore, especially after hearing the positive results from other libraries in the state – such as Livingston, Darby, Polson, Anaconda, and Libby, that don’t charge overdue fines.”
By Sept. 1, any current late fines owed by BPL card holders will be wiped from their account and late fees will no longer accrue on most items checked out by BPL patrons. Users may still owe other library fees, including for lost items and Inter Library Loans (ILLs), a service that provides items from other libraries in the U.S. BPL patrons will still need to return all items on time. Any item overdue for 30 days will be assumed lost and patrons will be charged for its replacement. Items such as mobile hotspots and ILLs will still accrue late fees. All items can be renewed online, by phone or in person two more times unless there is a previous hold. If a BPL patron uses another library that imposes fines, they may be charged for overdue items.