This is pathetic:
Beginning today, Montgomery County [Maryland] Public Libraries (MCPL) will no longer charge overdue fines. In addition, MCPL will waive all existing overdue fines from customer accounts. The new policy ensures that all County residents have equitable access to MCPL resources and services, while eliminating the financial barrier of overdue fines. Customers who previously had outstanding late fines will now be able to resume borrowing physical and digital materials and access online library resources.
“We know that some people are reluctant to use the Library because they’re worried about the fines,” said MCPL Director Anita Vassallo. “We hope that anyone who stopped using our wonderful libraries will come back and take advantage of our great services.”
Checked out materials will continue to have due dates, and customers will receive notices when their materials are due to be returned. Customers will be responsible for returning materials and the cost of replacing lost or damaged materials.
MCPL joins more than 200 libraries across the country which have implemented a fine free model. Libraries that have gone fine free saw increases in circulation, library card registrations, and materials returned that were previously thought lost. These libraries have not reported any increase in materials not being returned because of the new policy.
Maybe books are still being returned, but are they being returned on time? If not, then library users are being punished by not having books available. If so, then the need to forgive fines is unclear.
Are people really reluctant to use public libraries because they are worried about fines? This sounds like an excuse to me.
Anyone who can get to a library to check out a book can get to a library to return it on time — or to renew it, as I sometimes do. Furthermore, fines in Montgomery County are minimal unless the borrower is way late in returning a book.
The standards imposed by public library return policies are not onerous. Throughout much of American history, immigrants and low income individuals have educated themselves through libraries without being deterred by fines for late returns.
If the current crop of immigrants and low income individuals truly is being so deterred — if they can’t return library books on time — America is in even bigger trouble than I believe to be the case.
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