Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Why California Libraries Are Ditching Fines on Overdue Materials
gvw_calmatters
By CalMatters
Published 6 years ago on
March 1, 2019

Share

Bill Colb has had just about every possible job in the San Francisco Public Library system.

He has worked in customer service, managed branches and circulation, and is now the library’s digital strategist. Throughout these jobs, his most dreaded task remained the same: haggling with book borrowers over 10 cents a day fines for overdue materials.

Anne Stuhldreher

Opinion

Special to CALmatters

Four California libraries—San Mateo, Contra Costa, Berkeley and San Diego—have gone fine-free in the past two years, making California the leader in the fine-free movement.

“Collecting fines is the single greatest point of friction between library staff and patrons,” he told the San Francisco Public Library Commission last month.

The commission voted that night to make San Francisco the latest library system to go fine-free. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors needs to vote on the library’s recommendations, but Mayor London Breed has already voiced her support.

Four California libraries — San Mateo, Contra Costa, Berkeley, and San Diego — have gone fine-free in the past two years, making California the leader in the fine-free movement.

It’s not the unpleasantness of prodding late returners to pay up that’s spurring California libraries to ditch overdue fines. Libraries are taking a hard look at overdue fines and concluding that they do more harm than good.

Overdue fines accumulate and block access for low-income residents, the people who need libraries the most. And fines don’t work that well to prod people to return books. Better ways exist that don’t block access for people who need it.

Library Borrowers Miss Return Deadlines at Similar Rates

In San Francisco, my office, The Financial Justice Project, worked with library staff to examine overdue fines. We found that approximately 5 percent of all library cardholders have their cards blocked because of overdue fines.

Library borrowers regardless of income miss return deadlines at similar rates. About one-third of borrowers owe overdue fines or fees at any time.

However, lower income people have a harder time paying fines for overdue items. In the Bayview branch, which serves a lower-income area, 11 percent of people have their cards blocked. That’s three times as high as at branches in many high-income areas.

Library branches serving areas with larger numbers of African Americans and people without college degrees also had higher debt levels and more blocked accounts from overdue fines.

Simply put, charging overdue fines works against the library’s mission of free and equal access to information.

No library that eliminated overdue fines has experienced increases in late returns, longer hold times, or gaps in collections, according to our interviews with librarians across the country.

In fact, some libraries saw their late-return rates drop following fine elimination.

“It’s the best thing we ever did,” said David Seleb, Executive Director of the Oak Park Public Library system in Illinois.

Fines Aren’t a Significant Source of Revenue for Libraries

Several librarians said that the very existence of fines discourages people from using libraries. Patrons refuse to check out books for fear of fines. Most librarians in cities that went fine-free said their circulation increased after fines were eliminated.

These libraries found that there are better ways to spur people to return their materials, and that’s what San Francisco plans to do. San Francisco will send earlier and more frequent reminders by text and email when books are due. If other people are not “in line” waiting for your book, it will be automatically renewed. And people will still need to replace or pay for books that are not returned.

Upper income people can usually pay fines in a snap. But if you’re living paycheck to paycheck and cannot pay up, consequences can snowball.

Fines also aren’t a significant source of revenue for libraries. In San Francisco they bring in about $300,000 a year, a tiny fraction of the library’s $138 million budget.

“Books are knowledge,” said one gentleman who testified to the San Francisco library commission. Should we really cut off people’s access to knowledge if they cannot pay $10 in fines?

Upper income people can usually pay fines in a snap. But if you’re living paycheck to paycheck and cannot pay up, consequences can snowball, growing the intended “punishment” to unintended extremes. Fines will always be part of government. But they’re a tool that policy makers should reach for carefully, not reflexively. Just ask a librarian.

About the Author

Anne Stuhldreher directs The Financial Justice Project in the San Francisco Treasurer’s Office, and is also a fellow at the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program, anne.stuhldreher@sfgov.org. You can read the Financial Justice Project’s report here. She wrote this commentary for CALmatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s Capitol works and why it matters.

[activecampaign form=19]

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

World Leaders React to US Attack on Iran

DON'T MISS

Congress Members Split Over US Attack on Iran

DON'T MISS

Investors Brace for Oil Price Spike, Rush to Havens After US Bombs Iran Nuclear Sites

DON'T MISS

Investors React to US Attack on Iran Nuclear Sites

DON'T MISS

Tulare County’s Colvin Fire Ignites With 80 Personnel on Scene

DON'T MISS

US B-2 Bombers Involved in Iran Strikes, U.S. Official Says

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Iran’s Key Nuclear Sites ‘Obliterated’ by Airstrikes

DON'T MISS

LA Dodgers Pledge $1 Million to Support Families Impacted by ICE Raids

DON'T MISS

Pakistan to Nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

DON'T MISS

Vance, in Los Angeles, Says Troops Need to Stay, Blasts Newsom Over Immigration

UP NEXT

California Politicians Agree on School Money, but Poor Test Scores Need Attention

UP NEXT

Sen. Alex Padilla: This Is How an Administration Acts When It’s Afraid

UP NEXT

Bay Area Transit Systems Want More Money. But Their Payrolls Soared as Ridership Declined

UP NEXT

History Suggests the GOP Will Pay a Political Price for Its Immigration Tactics in California

UP NEXT

Only Nonviolence Will Beat Trump

UP NEXT

Gavin Newsom Finally Admits He’s Contemplating a Run for President

UP NEXT

Israel’s War of Choice With Iran Puts Trump in a Bind

UP NEXT

Millions of Americans Like Trump Better in Theory Than in Practice

UP NEXT

Newsom Wanted To Fast-Track the Delta Tunnel Project. The Legislature Slowed the Flow

UP NEXT

Israel Had the Courage to Do What Needed to Be Done

Despite Clashes With US Presidents, Israel’s Netanyahu Usually Gets His Way

12 hours ago

Pope Leo Urges International Diplomacy to Prevent ‘Irreparable Abyss’

12 hours ago

Oil to Open Higher as US Strikes on Iran Boost Supply Risk Premium

12 hours ago

US Strikes Against Iran Not Aimed at Regime Change, Pentagon Chief Says

12 hours ago

US Bombing of Iran Started With a Fake-Out

12 hours ago

Pakistan Condemns Trump’s Bombing of Iran a Day After Nominating Him for Peace Prize

12 hours ago

World Awaits Iran’s Response After Trump Says US ‘Obliterates’ Nuclear Sites

12 hours ago

Mariska Hargitay Comes to Terms With a Lifetime of Family Secrets

13 hours ago

Mysterious Ancient Humans Now Have a Face

13 hours ago

World Leaders React to US Attack on Iran

1 day ago

Advisory Warns of ‘Heightened Threat Environment’ in US After Iran Strikes

WASHINGTON  -An advisory from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned on Sunday of a “heightened threat environment in the Uni...

11 hours ago

A "No war on Iran" banner is held as people attend an anti-war demonstration in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 21, 2025. (Reuters File)
11 hours ago

Advisory Warns of ‘Heightened Threat Environment’ in US After Iran Strikes

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as they are flanked by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and members of Turkish and Iranian delegations, during the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Istanbul, Turkey, June 21, 2025. (Reuters File)
11 hours ago

Muslim Countries to Set up Contact Group to Seek Israel-Iran De-Escalation

12 hours ago

Visalia Police Seek Public’s Help in Sexual Assault Investigation

President Donald Trump speaks as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves following a meeting in the White House, in Washington, U.S., April 7, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Mohatt)
12 hours ago

Despite Clashes With US Presidents, Israel’s Netanyahu Usually Gets His Way

Pope Leo XIV holds a Jubilee audience on the occasion of the Jubilee of Sport, at St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican June 14, 2025. (Reuters File)
12 hours ago

Pope Leo Urges International Diplomacy to Prevent ‘Irreparable Abyss’

An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters File)
12 hours ago

Oil to Open Higher as US Strikes on Iran Boost Supply Risk Premium

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing at the Pentagon, after the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear facilities, during the Israel-Iran conflict, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., June 22, 2025 in this still image taken from handout video. Reuters TV/U.S. Department of Defense/Handout via REUTERS
12 hours ago

US Strikes Against Iran Not Aimed at Regime Change, Pentagon Chief Says

A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex, after the U.S. struck the underground nuclear facility, near Qom, Iran June 22, 2025. MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES/Handout via REUTERS
12 hours ago

US Bombing of Iran Started With a Fake-Out

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend