Frequently Asked Questions

Click the questions below to learn more!

If we remove fines won’t that mean no one will return their books?

NO. Evidence has shown that people are more likely to return books once fines are removed. People feel embarrassed and ashamed when they have fines, and often stop using the library.

Upper Hutt Libraries (NZ): after introducing zero fines in 2020 have seen a decrease in the number of lost items not being returned, demonstrated by a reduction of more than half in the amount owing for lost books in 2023.

Wales: In a 2022 survey of Welsh public libraries, those who had removed fines reported an increase in the numbers of overdue books returned once customers were no longer worried about fines.

City of Sydney (AUS): without the threat of a fine, books were three times as likely to be returned.

Will there be an incentive for people to return borrowed items?

YES. Libraries have applied or retained measures to encourage the return of borrowed items.

Libraries that remove fines use these incentives and assistance:

Borrowers are still billed for lost books if not returned by the set time.
If they have debt owing (of an amount the library sets) they can’t borrow anything else.
Maximum loan limits.
Email and SMS reminders are sent before and after due dates.
Automated renewals which apply unless there are holds reduce overdue items.

There is a difference between library late fines and fees for lost items. Removing late fines removes socio-economic barriers while keeping fees for lost items maintains accountability.

Will borrowers have to wait longer for popular books?

NO. Internationally, libraries have experienced little or no impact on wait times.

Gleason Public Library Massachusetts Ela Area Public Library (US): “holds” or wait times remained steady after enacting fine-free policies.

What is the financial impact? Won’t this mean the library has less money to buy books and provide services?

NO. NOT NECESSARILY
Depends on how Councils implement the removal, and how significant this revenue was as a percentage of the budget. Revenue from fines was already decreasing as more people borrow e-Books.

Many libraries convince their Councils that the loss is acceptable given the expected increase in library usage, especially for children. This seems to be the case when the fines money is a minor percentage of the total library or Council budget. Overseas, some libraries sought external funding, while some NZ libraries used NZLPP funding to mitigate the loss for the Council in the first year of implementation.

Libraries have looked for alternative revenue-generating services, such as accepting passport applications. Although these initiatives do not make up the whole revenue loss, a common strategy is simply accepting donations, often via a donation (or “guilt”) jar at the circulation desk or a simple Donate Button on the website.

Auckland Libraries and Wellington City Libraries (NZ): using the Long-Term-Plan and Annual Plan process, spread the loss of revenue across Council, so there was no drop in funding for library services.

New York Public Library (US): a one-time amnesty of $2.25 million with support from a private organization, provided works to improve the quality of life for low-income people.

Halifax Public Library (CA): is a registered charitable organization that views paying fines as a donation to the library and is grateful for members’ support and gifts.

Cragin Memorial Library (US): switched to pay what you want, a model with a fines jar, and found the amount of money collected increased.

Does it cost more to collect fines than the revenue that comes in? How much staff time is saved if fines are removed?

YES. FOR SOME LIBRARIES - More importantly, it saves staff time on payments transactions, debt collection, and cash handling, and eradicates ill-will. ANother benefit is that without fines more people can use library self service machines, meaning staff are freed up to support customers in other ways.

Yukon Public Libraries (Canada) who went fine free in 2023, say they previously used more financial resources to invoice late fees than the amount they collected overall.

Edmonton Public Library (Canada): reported going fine free enhanced staff efficiency, enabling resources to focus on more qualitative customer interactions and reduced transactional cash handling duties ensuring a safer working environment.

Auckland Council Libraries (NZ): reported that it was hard to measure exact time and cost but that before removing fines every day at every branch and via phone and online service, staff were: talking to customers about the overdue fines they owe; negotiating a waiver in some cases; outlining payment plan options or how much they need to pay to unblock their card for borrowing (at $10 owing or more); having unpleasant conversations with angry people trying to encourage them to pay so they will return to the library

Do Libraries ever collect all the fines issued?

NO. Non-collection rates are very high due to both compassionate waiving on an individual basis and periodic debt write off. During Covid lockdowns, many Libraries extended loans or waived fines to support their communities.

Auckland Libraries (NZ): 33% of Fees & Charges revenue was never collected. Recovery rates were low and every year periodic write-offs of older debt were undertaken.

Upper Hutt Libraries (NZ): reported that prior to removing fines each year an average of $7,800 was written off.

Aren’t fines part of the core business of Libraries? Libraries have always charged fines, haven’t they? If it worked for so long why stop them?

NO. Overdue fines are meant to encourage the return of borrowed items but in fact, drive people away from Libraries.

Books don’t get returned and borrowers instead stop coming.

Columbus Public Library (US): the library board eliminated overdue fines when they realized that fines not only weren’t encouraging the timely return of materials—but that fines were actively working against the library’s very reason for existence. We’ve shut off access to the library when one of our staunchest principles is trying to provide the widest access to materials that we can. It was seen as counter to the overall purpose and vision of our library.

New York Public Libraries (US): Visitor numbers increased from 9% to 15% (depending on the borough) 5 months after fines were removed.

Will removing fines result in increased membership and retention?

YES. Once members have fines, they often stop using libraries, and their membership lapses. Once fines are removed libraries experience membership growth.

Queenstown Lakes District Libraries (NZ). Removed adult overdue fines in August 2024. “We’ve previously employed a fine-free policy for children and senior borrower categories, and the decision to expand this comes off the back of a successful trial of the policy in 2022 which resulted in an 87% increase in children’s membership”

Waitomo District Library (NZ) In September 2024 after one year of being fine-free for overdue books noticed a huge impact on membership. District Librarian Julie O’Toole says “By removing the fines for overdue books, we’re now in line with many other libraries around the country. It takes away the anxiety for people wanting to use our services,” she says. “We have seen people return to the library after being absent for some time. It’s so nice to remove that barrier.”

East Greenbush Community Library (New York state). In February 2024 they issued a "Report on the effectiveness of implementing a fine-free policy in 2023" that shows enhanced library access, with new sign-ups for library cards up 5% over the previous year, with an 18% increase in library cardholders overall. It concluded that "removing financial barriers has encouraged wider community engagement with the library."

Ireland 2019. The Irish Government’s new public library strategy included providing a library service with no barriers to access and use, with no library fines or lending charges for every library in Ireland, with the aim of doubling library membership from 750,000 to 1.5 million within five years. While the Covid pandemic stymied this goal, membership had increased to over 800,000 by April 2023.

Tasmania (AUS): 2018, when libraries scrapped overdue fees more than 8,000 new members signed up in just five months in contrast to the loss of 900 members encountered in the same period the year prior.

Do overdue fines impact some sectors of the community more than others?

YES. For Māori, Pacific, other marginalised communities, lower socio-economic communities, and rural customers, fines are punitive, affecting mostly those who cannot afford to pay and preventing their use of libraries.

Customer feedback included those who only checked out children's books as the cost of overdue fines for adults was too high, and that living in a rural location it is not a simple or inexpensive matter to go to the library to return books with the time and petrol cost involved plus having books out with overdue fines.

Puke Ariki in New Plymouth (NZ): identified barriers for communities using the public library Community Consultation in March 2022). Pacific groups mentioned that fees including overdue fines and the fear/shame of being fined were the main barrier to using the public library.

Auckland Council Libraries (NZ): a large number of members who were blocked from borrowing for a debt of over $10 were from the lower socio-economic areas (South and West Auckland) and were more likely to be Māori or Pacific ethnicity.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland In a March 2022 survey of libraries, of those that had already removed library fines, 40% reported an increase in adults using the library as a result, and 30% reported an increase in families and people from disadvantaged areas.

Are there any other benefits?

YES. Removing fines simplifies your Library Management systems settings, making them easier to use and to collect the measures you want to analyse.

Auckland Libraries (NZ): reduced the number of “loan rules” substantially, resulting in simpler conditions of use for customers. Previously each format and each audience level needed a different explanation of rules, now most items are free to borrow and have no late fines so there are few exceptions (rental DVDs and CDs, and anything with a different loan periods).

What about debt agencies?

Some libraries use debt agencies to reduce the time staff spend on this task. This makes overdue fines more stressful and stops people from returning to libraries out of fear and shame. Non-use of debt agencies improves the relationship with customers and reduces the fear of borrowing. It also returns control of debt write-off and the relationship with borrowers back to the library. A PLNZ survey in December 2021 revealed that only 19 respondents used debt agencies, with some of these having paused this to mitigate Covid hardships.

Auckland Libraries (NZ): stopped using debt agencies before removing fines.

Do Libraries have other charges – and should they review these?

YES. Libraries should review their loan rules and fees and charges regularly to ensure they are still appropriate and relevant. Most libraries have policies and processes to allow for waiving on compassionate grounds.

Reviewing these and what authority is needed to waive them can reduce the barrier on an individual basis. Other fees and charges that can be reviewed: