The decision came after the Helen Hall Library board of trustees recommended changing the overdue policy for library materials. Before, overdue materials accrued late fines per day, but the board recommended eliminating such fines and charging residents only for the replacement cost of outstanding materials after 30 days.
City Council approved the recommendations.
Several board members spoke in favor of eliminating fines at the May 10 meeting.
Board Vice Chair Kathie Nenninger said residents have already paid for the library through their taxes and that by charging late fines, the library is charging residents for something for which they have already paid. Eliminating fines may improve access for minors and low-income families, and those are the people who need the library the most, Nenninger said.
Board Trustee Kyrsten Garcia agreed that late fines double-dip into residents' pockets. Garcia said that even as a board member she felt a hint of shame paying a recent $2.90 late fee and questioned how many others might be deterred from returning to the library due to such fines.
Board Chair Tommy Frankovich said senior citizens are not always able to return books on time due to emergencies and that to charge them and other residents fines for being only a few days late returning materials does not seem right.
"We want children to use those books as much as possible," he said.
On average over the last five years, $53,000 worth of fines were assessed annually, and $40,000 in fines were collected annually. Despite this loss in revenue by going fine-free, the library would still receive revenue through payments from lost and damaged materials, printer services and other miscellaneous charges, according to city documents.
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Most Galveston County libraries have moved to the fine-free method, and the trend is catching on state- and nationwide, the documents read.
Council Member Nick Long said he was originally against the idea because he thought fines helped incentivize residents to return materials on time, but that is not the case, he said. The truth is it is difficult for library staff to spend their time chasing after small fines, he said.
"I think this makes a lot of sense. It’s cleaner," Long said of eliminating late fines. "We’re not making marshals out of library staff chasing down nickels.”
