
Replacement charges will not apply to any items lost / damaged on a Young Adult card. Members under 18 will not be asked to pay replacement costs. There will be no replacement charge for children’s items which have been lost or damaged. You can check the details of your membership including whether you have overdue items at any time by logging into your online account.

Borrowing privileges cannot be restored until either the overdue item is returned, or you have made contact with a library staff member to discuss the matter. If you do not either return an item or contact a library staff member to discuss an overdue item before you receive a third reminder, your card will be blocked from taking out or renewing any further items, including e-books and e-audio books. If there is an issue in returning the item, please contact a library staff member to discuss this. Please return overdue items once you receive an overdue notice. Please continue to renew your items online, by phone or in person at your local branch. Please return items on or before their due date to allow them to be borrowed by other library users. You will continue to receive reminders and overdue emails to prompt you to return items to the library. No overdue fines does not mean no responsibility. The elimination of overdue fines is another way for libraries to encourage people who might not regularly use the library to experience what they have to offer. However, there is little evidence to show they ensure timely returns – rather they may actually dissuade members and users from returning overdue items. Library charges have been shown to have a detrimental effect on library use by children and the disadvantaged.
Bring them back overdue library books free#
The strategy states, ‘ The library is a free lifelong resource that should be available to all without barriers or charges. The removal of fines is a key aim of the new public library strategy Our Public Library 2022: inspiring, connecting and empowering communities which was published jointly by the Department of Rural and Community Development, the County and City Management Association and the Local Government Management Agency and launched by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring T.D.

There will be no overdue fines to pay and we would be happy to reactivate your library membership for you to begin using your local library again. We are encouraging members of the public to return undamaged, overdue library items to their local libraries. All overdue fines on members’ accounts as of the 1st of January 2019 will also be removed. There will be no overdue fines charged on any materials taken out from the library by library members from the 1st of January 2019. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.From the 1st of January, library members will not have to pay fines for overdue items and no existing overdue fines will be collected. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. And the American Dream is through our libraries.Ĭopyright © 2021 NPR. WALCOTT: That's the goal, to have our children participate in the American Dream. MARTIN: In Queens, 65% of blocked accounts belong to people who are 17 years old or younger, and that's exactly who libraries want to get in the doors. And that's exactly where we need people using the library.

MARX: Those are vastly disproportionately in the poorest neighborhoods. There are 400,000 New Yorkers with blocked accounts because they owe more than $15 in late fees. INSKEEP: Now, this is meaningful because New York City is such a big place. But you won't owe any late fees on top of that.

MARTIN: Plus, if you just totally lose a book, you'll still have to pay the library back for it. I know that seems like a very non-New York way of thinking, but we see it. Almost all the books come back anyway because people respect that if they are treated with respect and trust, they respond in kind. TONY MARX: It turns out late fees for books don't work. Neither does Tony Marx, the president of the New York Public Library system. MARTIN: Actually, Walcott doesn't think so. But without any fines, would people take books and run? If, hypothetically, you had late fees at the library, if you hadn't brought back your library books for some reason and you live in New York City, you're in luck because the public libraries there are going fine free.ĭennis Walcott is the president of Queens Public Library, one of New York City's three public library systems.ĭENNIS WALCOTT: We want you in our libraries, and we want you using our resources that are available to you for free.
