LUMBERTON — Stressing out about fines for overdue books and DVDs is a thing of the past at the Robeson County Public Library system.
The library’s trustees voted unanimously during its January meeting to eliminate overdue fines on all library materials owned by the library system, which includes all seven locations, in Lumberton, Pembroke, Maxton, Fairmont, Rowland, St. Pauls and Red Springs. Fines hurt library use and cost the library staff time to process, the board concluded.
Patrons with overdue materials will continue to receive overdue notices as a reminder to return library materials. An item is automatically declared lost if it has been overdue 60 days. In the event a library item is lost or damaged, replacement fees will be charged.
Overdue fines account for less than 1 percent of the library’s revenue each fiscal year, and a library study indicated that fines actually inhibit circulation, Library Director Katie Fountain said.
“Due to the minimal revenue from overdue fines, and the positive impact that our pilot program had on the number of lost library items, there was not a negative effect on the library’s budget,” Fountain said.
The decision expands a successful one-year library pilot program called Fines Away!, which was conducted in 2018. The program ended overdue fines on all children’s materials at the library.
The nautically themed Fines Away! made overdue fines on children’s materials “walk the plank,” Fountain said. Old fines on children’s materials were banished from accounts, and there were no overdue fines charged for the entire year.
“Charging overdue fines on children’s library materials creates a barrier to access for children and parents, particularly among low-income families, from using out public libraries,” Fountain said. “There is a lack of evidence that charging overdue fines increases prompt returns.
“Current field research indicates that more public libraries are ending over fines on children’s materials without negative impacts. Less staff time is spent managing patron fines, community morale is boosted, and more children are able to enjoy library materials.”
The pilot program delivered important results for children, Fountain said. Statistics were kept on the circulation of children’s materials and the percentage of children’s collections that were overdue, missing, or lost from December 2017, before the program launched, and again in January.
Circulation of children’s materials rose 6 percent during the pilot year compared with 2017, and rose 16 percent more in 2018 than 2016.
Lost children’s materials decreased by 32 percent, overdue children’s materials decreased by 33 percent, and missing children’s items decreased by 82 percent.
“The community and staff response to the pilot program has been positive,” Fountain said.
Youth Services Librarian Lisa Bowden applauded the results of the pilot program.
“Since the launch of the program, I’ve witnessed more books in the hands of children,” Bowden said.
The results encouraged the trustees to extend the elimination of overdue fines to adult and teen collections, turning pilot into policy, in hopes of similar results.
Longtime staff member and Audiovisual Specialist Lolita McMillan said ending overdue fines is a positive for the county.
“Many of our patrons live paycheck to paycheck,” McMillan said. “I believe everyone should be able to check out library materials.
“Many people have told me how grateful they are for no overdue fines on our children’s DVD collection. They can no longer afford to rent them, and because of the library, these families still have entertainment for their children.
“Once, a child was checking out books and her account was blocked because of overdue fines,” she said. “After seeing the child cry, I paid on her account so she could borrow the books.”
Fountain said the change helps with the system’s mission.
“Our goal is to encourage the community to use the library more and return materials in good condition so that others may enjoy them,” she said. “In the aftermath of two catastrophic storms less than two years apart, the need for the library’s free resources has increased, and charging overdue fines does not align with RCPL’s purpose — to transform communities.”
Library cards are available free of charge for anyone who lives in Robeson County, owns property in Robeson County, or is a teacher or student in a local school, college or university.
Robeson County Public Library borrowing privileges also are available to residents in the surrounding counties of Scotland, Hoke, Cumberland, Bladen, Columbus and Dillon in South Carolina.
