Local · Trusted · Free
The Morning Impact — your neighborhood's most important stories, delivered every morning.
Allen Public Library patrons will no longer pay late fees for overdue books.
Allen City Council approved the removal of fines for overdue library materials at a Feb. 10 meeting. Council also approved adjusted rates for renting Allen Public Library facilities.
Zoom in
In North Texas, at least 37 public libraries have eliminated fines since 2017, city documents state. Nationally, the number of public libraries in the U.S. charging overdue fines decreased by 92% from 2017 to 2023.
Removing library fees encourages library usage, increases the number of books returned and enhances customer service, Library Director Jeff Timbs said.
Since 2010 when council last reviewed the policy, late fees have been set at:
This is expected to reduce library revenue by approximately $25,000 annually, according to city documents. Library staff are planning to offset this by establishing fees for use of library facilities and materials, which is expected to generate between $10,000 and $15,000 annually.
Hourly rates for library facility rentals are as follows:
The Allen Public Library reopened to the public Dec. 8 following more than a year of renovation and expansion work, according to previous reporting.
Facility improvements added to the library include expanded areas for book and materials, which created space for the roughly 10,000 new items added to the library’s collection in 2025.
For more information on the Allen Public Library, visit www.allenlibrary.org.
