Web posted
Friday, January 4, 2008
Library dropping book fines
From STAFF REPORTS and NEWS RELEASES
The Arkansas City Public Library is celebrating its 100th year of operation, but you're the one getting a gift.
Starting Jan. 1 the library is getting rid overdue fines. Items checked out from the library will no longer accrue overdue fines, and all past overdue fines will be forgiven.
"This decision was made by the library staff and board of trustees to encourage youth, families, and those with overdue books or outstanding fines to return and enjoy the many resources of the Arkansas City Public Library," said library director Michelle Swain.
"Many young people are currently prevented from using our services because of outstanding overdue fines. We want to give them a fresh start so that they can use our resources to help them learn and grow, while educating them about the importance of returning library materials on time."
Collecting overdue fines was also a very negative experience, for both library users and library staff, Swain said.
At the library on Friday, one Ark City resident who wished to remain anonymous doesn't believe suspending the fees is the best idea and in fact said raising them might be better.
Ark City resident Donnie Huffman worries that ending fines may impact the library's financial standing. Huffman is an avid reader, he believes that Ark City needs a local library.
It is "one of the most important things that Ark City has to offer," he said. Huffman is willing to pay, "I don't mind paying a little overdue charges."
Swain wants her staff to be able to focus on good customer service rather than making the library into a collection agency.
"There are many more people, mostly youth and low income families, who literally stop using the library because they are unable to pay their overdue fines," she said.
She said the library staff weighed the costs of collecting finds against the revenue brought in and decided it was "pretty much a wash."
"It takes an incredible amount of staff time to monitor, track and collect 50 cents at a time," she said.
A lot of people want to pay their overdue fines even before the items are checked back in, Swain said. Those who still want to pay their fines are encouraged to donate to the library operating fund.
The fines are disappearing, but patrons must pay for lost or damaged books, and a minimum charge is assessed if an item is not paid for after being overdue for longer than four months, Swain said.
All debt for nonreturned items will be sent to the Kansas Setoff program, where any payments from the state will be garnished for the amount owed to the library, including lottery winnings and income tax refunds.
If materials are over a week late, cardholders can't borrow more until they return what they have.
This should be the end of library staff having to nickel and dime library users, Swain said.
"We want people to come in and use our resources and find out that we are much more than just a warehouse for books," Swain said. "We now have a DVD collection and we have 10 computers with Internet access."
Other programs to celebrate the 100th anniversary include a reading challenge, essay and scrapbook contests, a library and book trivia event, and a barbecue in August. More details will be available in the ACPL Centennial Celebration booklet at the library.
For more information call (620) 442-1280, or visit www.acpl.org.
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