New Fine-Free Policy is Just Fine for Library Patrons
If you are one of those people who just cannot seem to do things on time, the Geauga County Public Library has good news for you.
If you are one of those people who just cannot seem to do things on time, the Geauga County Public Library has good news for you.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, GCPL is a fine-free library system.
In July of 2019, CLEVNET, of which GCPL is a part, implemented this same policy, which represents a sweeping new national initiative to remove barriers to service and further engage communities to read, become informed and entertained.
The policy does have exclusions, such as borrowing telescopes, new video games and DVD/Blu-rays. A normal borrowing period is 21 days, and most readers do their part to respect that deadline. If an item is lost there, will still be charges applied to the borrower.
However, for books and manuscripts, this is one more way the library system wants to provide good news to the community and encourage library use.
“Public libraries serve their communities by providing free access to information, services, resources and space,” said library Director Ed Worso. “Fines can create unintended barriers to the library and can deter borrowing completely for some families. Many of our staff have had conversations with patrons, friends, or neighbors regarding their fines. Many have heard a parent mention that they haven’t been to a library in years because a child ran up fines and they just stopped using our services. This has always been an unfortunate consequence of fines.”
The library has also implemented fine amnesty.
This new policy adoption will be forgiving the overdue fines incurred in the past for overdue materials only, not lost or misplaced materials.
So, if the book or article has been returned, but the fine remains unpaid, as of Jan. 2, the fine will be forgiven. This policy comes at expense to the library, representing over $41,000. However, the reward for regaining participation is much greater, said GCPL Assistant Director Kris Carroll during their Dec. 17 meeting.
The GCPL recorded its highest circulation in history in 2019, marking a 14-percent increase over 2018, the GCPL Board of Trustees announced, adding the new user-friendly, fee-free policy should be just one contributing factor to possible new records in the future.
