NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – New York City’s public library systems are doing away with overdue book fines starting Tuesday and are also waiving all past fees, officials said.
In a joint press release, the New York Public Library—which serves Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island—joined the Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library in announcing all three library systems will no longer charge late fines on books.
Officials said the three systems have also cleared all prior late fines from patrons’ accounts, “allowing New Yorkers to enter a new chapter of recovery and renewal with clean slates.”
While late fees have been done away with, all three library systems said they will still charge replacement fees on books that are a month or more overdue. However, a replacement fee will be waived when an overdue book is returned.
The three public library systems are now the largest in the U.S. to close the book on late fines. All three systems have had late fees in place since their founding in the 20th century.
Library officials said the change is about “encouraging increased usage of the library systems, as well as creating a more equitable system that does not disproportionately impact high-need communities.”
Under the previous policy, a patron’s card would be blocked if they had over $15 in fines. Officials said about 400,000 New Yorkers have accrued more than $15 in fines, with more than half in “high-need communities,” which are described as having a median household income below $50,000.
About $3.2 million in late fines were collected by the three library systems in 2019. The systems suspended fines in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. After more than a year of not collecting fees, officials said they have “found ways to absorb the lost revenue from fines”
“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,” New York Public Library President Anthony Marx said in a statement.
“We must work to ensure that we are adhering to our mission of making knowledge and opportunity available to all, and that means addressing late fines,” Marx said. “They are an antiquated, ineffective way to encourage patrons to return their books; for those who can afford the fines, they are barely an incentive. For those who can’t afford the fines— disproportionately low-income New Yorkers—they become a real barrier to access that we can no longer accept. 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.”
While the policies differ slightly at each of the three systems, here’s a general overview of the changes:
• New Yorkers of all ages will no longer need to pay any late fines on overdue materials
• In the past, library cards were blocked if they accrued $15 or more in fines; that will no longer be the case
• New Yorkers will still need to pay replacement fees if they lose material. Materials are considered lost after being overdue for about one month. If materials are returned, however, no fees will apply
• Cards will be blocked from borrowing additional physical materials if patrons accrue replacement fees (thresholds differ per system); note that even with a block on their cards, patrons can still access computers, e-books, and other digital services.