New York Public Library Says Goodbye Forever…To Fines! All New Yorkers Say Good Riddance! The Library Welcomes ALL Patrons Back To the Library
From The NYPL’s Announcement Page:
As of October 5, 2021, everyone is getting a fresh start at the Library:
All existing fines and replacement fees in all patron accounts have been cleared and erased.
Late fines will no longer accrue on borrowed materials returned after their due date.
Please note: some replacement fees will still apply. Learn more about our new policy.
As always, e-books are easy to access and will never be overdue. Find out about the Library’s free e-reader app, SimplyE, today!
Come learn about all the free services available at the Library—now with no more late fines! Join us October 18 to 23 for open houses at branch locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island to meet your local librarians, participate in fun welcome week events, borrow books and other materials, learn about all the services and resources the Library offers, and more! Plus, when you visit during Welcome Week, you can get a free “welcome back pack” filled with school supplies—while they last!. Image Credit – New York Public Library
Visit during Welcome Week, October 18–23, to get a free gift and learn more about the wide array of free services and resources the Library offers for all ages!
The following is by Tony Marx, NYPL President, October 4, 2021
The New York Public Library is proud to announce a major policy shift: as of today and moving forward, we will no longer charge late fines on overdue circulating materials. In addition, we have cleared all prior late fines and replacement fees from patron accounts so that everyone gets a clean slate at the Library. This is a step towards a more equitable society, with more New Yorkers reading and using libraries, and we are proud to make it happen.
During the pandemic, it was clearer than ever that we live in a Tale of Two Cities, with our most vulnerable citizens too often left behind. As New York grapples with these inequities, we must ensure that we are adhering to our mission of making knowledge and opportunity available to all—and that means addressing late fines.
So Many Books, So Little Time. Image Credit – Prettysleepy
Our work, and the work of our peers, show that fines do not effectively incentivize the timely return of materials. If they did, we would never collect fines. That relatively low fine is not stopping someone who can afford it from keeping that book out a few extra weeks, but it is stopping families—disproportionately low-income New Yorkers— from accessing the world of opportunity that we offer, either because their cards are blocked (after accruing $15 in late charges), or because they’re literally too scared of fines to visit a branch. The 10 NYPL branches with the most blocked cards are all in high-needs communities, and on average one in five cards at those locations are blocked. This is even more pronounced amongst children and teens: 30% of blocked cards citywide belong to patrons under 18. This is a situation we can no longer accept.
Some might say fines teach accountability and ethics. I disagree. New Yorkers are quite reliable and responsible, clearly respecting our collections and the need for them to be available for others to borrow. We can reinforce the importance of returning books without attaching a financial burden that targets those most in need. If we’re talking ethics, it is clear to me that the real ethical conundrum lies with pricing our most vulnerable citizens out of using a free, public library system.
Considering the size of New York City’s three public systems (The New York Public Library covering the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, The Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library), it has taken time, thoughtful discussion, and careful analysis to take this important step towards a more equitable system. The time is now. We hope to see all New Yorkers at one of our branches soon.
Learn more about our fines announcement.
Banner Image: The New York Public Library Manhattan Branch. Image Credit: The New York Public Library
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