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Cortez Eliminates Library Fines

1/25/2022

The Cortez Library has adopted a new policy that eliminates late-return fees on overdue materials. You'd be surprised at the results. This story is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals and Big-O Tires

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Have you been holding on to a Cortez Library book because you're worried about the late fees you owe? Don't worry, the library no longer charges for late returns. It just wants its books back. You're watching the Local News Network brought to you by Express Employment Professionals and Big O Tires. I'm Wendy Graham Settle. The Cortez Library has eliminated late fees to increase public participation in the library and to ensure that its expensive inventory can return to the bookshelves for others to borrow. The Cortez city council approved the new policy in November.

And it's actually a nationwide trend now that libraries are becoming more and more library fine free, especially because the American Library Association, they identified that it has become a barrier for the library usage.

Sharpensteen says that the cost of replacing books far exceeds the amount of fees it collects. In 2018 and 19 she said, the library collected about $40 in late fees each year. One book could cost as much. Sharpensteen said the library has seen an uptick in patron numbers since the fees were eliminated, and the library hasn't lost nearly as many materials.

People are much more inclined to bring materials back when they know that there are no fines attached to it. And we had kind of like a trial version of this whole thing during COVID when we quarantined items, and we noticed items came back more frequently when we were not charging fines, because there is a stigma. Either people are afraid to confront the fines because they may be so high and they may not be able to afford it, or it's just the kind of the shame to it, just like, I know, and if I owe fines, I'm like, okay, I feel really bad about it.

For more information about library checkout and return policies, visit cityofcortez.com/141/library. Thanks for watching this edition of the Local News Network. I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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