December 5, 2022
IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Candelaria Mendoza
Executive Director
cmendoza@yvl.org
(509) 575-3401
Yakima Valley Libraries to Eliminate Overdue Fines Beginning January 1, 2023
YAKIMA, WA – Beginning January 1, 2023, Yakima Valley Libraries (YVL) will no longer charge late fines for overdue library materials. The decision to ‘go fine-free’ was approved by the Library District’s Board of Trustees on October 24, and is in alignment with YVL’s mission to provide “free, open, and full access to a vast array of information and ideas.”
Under YVL’s current circulation policy, patrons are charged $0.10 per item, per day in overdue fines, and their borrowing privileges are blocked once an account has accrued more than $10 in fines.
Research has shown that these fines are not effective in encouraging patrons to return library materials on time; instead, overdue fines can quickly add up on a borrower’s account, becoming a barrier to library-use that disproportionately impacts low-income patrons.
According to YVL’s executive director, Candelaria Mendoza, an additional reason for the removal of overdue fines came after internal research conducted by YVL’s administration and management teams.
“We discovered that in many cases we use more library resources, in terms of staff time, to process the overdue fines than we bring in as revenue by collecting the fines,” Mendoza said.
By eliminating overdue fines, Yakima Valley Libraries is removing a punitive barrier to access, with the added goal of re-engaging lapsed library users while still holding patrons accountable for the library materials they borrow; to that end, all library materials will still have due dates and patrons are expected to return materials in a timely manner and in good condition.
In addition, replacement fees will still be charged for damaged library materials and, in the event that an item is more than 14 days overdue, borrowing privileges on a patron’s account will be blocked until the item is returned.
And, once an item is 28 days overdue, the replacement cost for the item will be charged to the patron’s account, though this fee will be waived if the item is returned in good condition.
In the coming weeks, all pre-existing overdue fines will be removed from patron accounts and, beginning January 1, 2023, overdue fines will be eliminated from YVL’s circulation policy, altogether.
“We want to make sure that overdue fines are no longer a reason for residents to stop using their community libraries, which, unfortunately, has been the case in the past,” Mendoza said. “We understand that life happens and, rather than taking a punitive approach to the delivery of library services and resources, our Board agreed that our circulation policies need to more closely align with our mission while still being fiscally responsible.”
For more information about the Library’s decision to go fine-free, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions, please visit: https://www.yvl.org/fine-free-faqs/
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