From staff reports

The Allen County Public Library has done away with overdue fines and fees for all ACPL cardholder, effective Jan. 3.

The Library Board approved the measure Dec. 15, erasing all fines and fees from the accounts of its patrons. In addition, cardholders will no longer accumulate fines and fees for overdue materials. Those cardholders will continue to be responsible for fees related to lost or damaged library materials.

In a statement, the ACPL explained that in recent years, libraries across the country have embraced fine-free policies as a key tool to remove barriers.

According to the Library Journal’s “2022 Fines and Fees Survey,” the percentage of U.S. libraries charging fines has decreased steadily over the last five years. In 2017, 92% of libraries charged fines. Today, that number is only 36%.

“What the data shows us is that although fees may seem like a small burden, they actually create significant barriers to access,” ACPL Executive Director Susan Baier said. “Overdue fines, regardless of their amount, force us to prioritize fee collection over patron service. I applaud our board for taking this bold action to ensure library access to all members of our community.”

The ACPL tested the theory over the last year with its Fine Free for Minors policy that took effect Jan. 3, 2022. The ACPL reported significant increases in youth using the library and checking out materials. In its first year, the number of young patrons checking out materials grew by 151%, and the number of items checked out by those youth totaled nearly 199,000 (an increase of 181% year over year). “The policy change brought new patrons to the library with an increase of more than 2,000 youth cardholders from 2021 to 2022 and a 75% decrease in the number of blocked youth accounts,” the ACPL reported.

“The success we saw with Fine Free for Minors made it clear that our community wants our services, but shame and an inability to pay are very real challenges that many cannot overcome,” Baier said. “Now our patrons can walk through the doors, take advantage of the materials, make use of their tax dollars at work, and avoid the shame of overdue fines.”

Library cardholders do not need to take action to erase existing fines and fees related to overdue items. Those were cleared from accounts at start of business Jan. 3. Fines and fees related to lost or damaged items will remain in place.

In a news release, the ACPL said more than 80 Indiana public libraries are already fine-free and peer libraries report no significant increase in late returns or need for replacement copies.

The ACPL operates the Main Branch in downtown Fort Wayne and 13 branches throughout Fort Wayne and Allen County.