Thank-you to our CEO, Heather Ratz, for this blog post.
It’s true: we do not charge fines if your items are returned late! We threw the book at fines and while we appreciate items being returned on time, we are pleased to be able to provide fine-free borrowing in Brighton.
When did the Library go Fine-Free?
During the course of 2021, there was a surge in libraries across Canada moving to a fine-free service model. Maybe it was partly due to seeing the effects of COVID, as libraries stepped up to “essential service” status to make sure their communities didn’t have to go without library resources.
In Brighton, we did not make our decision lightly. There was lots of research, networking and crunching of numbers. A report was created, and it was presented to the Library Board for approval and then to Brighton Council. Before we could move forward, we cleared fines from all accounts so that on January 1st 2022 we all started from a blank slate and became a fine-free library.
But why go Fine-Free?
Simply put, fines go against everything we value as a public space. They can create barriers, inequality, feelings of embarrassment, and financial hardship for the very people who may need our services the most. In the past, we sometimes lost patrons because they were too embarrassed about their fines to return to the library. I saw this firsthand.
Were there concerns?
We were initially concerned about whether this would mean a loss of revenue for the library. But the numbers illustrated that the actual income from fines made up a very small percentage of our annual operating income.
We also considered that not charging fines meant we wouldn’t be teaching people, especially children, about responsibility. But we agreed that was not our responsibility!
There was also speculation that the result would mean more late materials and longer wait times for popular titles. However, studies have shown that fines are not a motivating factor for people to return their books.
What are the benefits?
We are pleased with the results we have seen so far! Several patrons for whom fines were a genuine barrier have returned to us. Many patrons feel that returning material on time is their responsibility and their duty, so due dates continue to be respected. Beyond that, some people insist on paying for their tardiness so they pay it forward through a donation to the library.
In short, “shushing” in libraries has gone the way of the dodo bird and so too have library fines!
For more information about borrowing Brighton Public Library material, check out the Borrowing Guide on our website.