Most Catoosa County Library users will see their accounts cleared of fines July 1, and the library will not charge late fees for most items in the future, Catoosa County announced Wednesday.
The policy shift is designed to remove barriers and increase access to educational material, a news release said. The Catoosa County Board of Commissioners voted May 7 to approve the new policy.
Officials are encouraging patrons to return overdue books, which is more important than collecting fines, Sarah Holmes, director of the Catoosa County Library, said in the news release.
“When these long overdue books are brought back to the library, we can get them into the hands of other patrons much faster than if we were to collect the money and purchase them again,” she said in the statement. “Additionally, some items not returned may be difficult or impossible to replace.”
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More than 2,700 items are long overdue and more than 1,500 are marked missing — a total of about 5% of the library’s collection, Holmes said in a follow-up email.
According to a map on the website of the Georgia Public Library Service, seven Georgia public library systems are fine-free, and another system will go fine free June 1. Four other library systems are fine-free for children’s books, and nearly 20 others are fine-free for public school students.
LATE FEES
Most of the library’s collection will not accrue late fees, including books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, music CDs and kits like a pollinator observer kit or a backpacking kit.
In 2023, about $11,500 in fines were paid — more than 50% of the fines billed to users, Holmes said.
There’s no plan to make up for lost revenue, but Holmes said community donations through the Friends of the Catoosa County Library more than make up the loss of fines. About $25,000 worth of books were donated through the group in 2023, one of several programs the group sponsors.
Items like laptops can still accrue fines, as can video games, cake pans, items owned by other library systems and items made possible through a contractual agreement such as partnership passes.
In a follow-up phone call, Holmes said the partnership passes offer free or discounted entry to museums and attractions from Chattanooga to Atlanta. The passes are some of the library’s most used items, she said.
REMAINING CHARGES
As part of the transition to the new policy, in June, library users can bring in food donations to have old fines removed, the release said. The early fine removal program is part of a partnership with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, and all donations will be distributed in the North Georgia area.
Before the food donation program, the library has had other opportunities to reduce the number of users blocked in exchange for donations, she said. That’s led to a reduction in blocked users, Holmes said. In 2023, 12% of users were blocked, down from 19% in 2019.
A library user is blocked when a patron owes more than $10, Holmes said, meaning nothing can be checked out from the library and the user can’t use the facility’s computers. Privileges are restored when what a patron owes drops below $10, she said.
Some charges will not be forgiven and others will still be accrued, the release said.
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Charges for lost or damaged items levied between Jan. 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, will remain on library user accounts. Despite the end of late fees at the Catoosa County Library, users will still be charged for any items lost, damaged or not returned.
The library encourages patrons to return or renew items as scheduled so the items can be available for other community members, the release said. Items not returned 90 days after their due date will be charged to a user’s account as a lost item.
“Most available data on other fines-free libraries show that items are returned at higher rates than before,” Holmes said. “Removing this barrier has also been shown to increase library usage in general. We have an incredible community here in Catoosa County, and I am hopeful that this policy shift will strengthen and grow the trust our community has in us.”
Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.