It’s official! The Nevada County Community Library has announced that it is no longer charging overdue fines. This is a permanent move meant to remove financial barriers that may be keeping people from enjoying the library’s full benefits.
“We are very excited about this and what it means for the community.” stated County Librarian, Nick Wilczek, “Patrons are now free to check out items without the worry of being penalized for returning them a few days late.”
Nevada County Community Library joins numerous other libraries across the country that have done away with fines on late items. Many libraries note that these fines can put an undue burden on low income individuals and can create unnecessary conflict. By switching to a fine free model the library is able to better serve every member of the community by giving them greater access to library materials. From now on, any late books or materials will be accepted without a fine. No questions asked.
“It’s been a great change!” notes Madelyn Helling Branch Manager Rachel Tucker “It’s so much nicer telling people they don’t owe any fines. Everyone leaves with a smile on their face!”
Despite the new rule, patrons are still encouraged to return their items in a timely manner. Emails and text messages will be sent out to users when items are overdue as a reminder and items that are checked out longer than 5 months will be set as lost. Users should note that lost or damaged books may still incur a fee. Patrons should contact their local library if they believe that an item will be returned more than 5 months past the original checkout date or if they believe an item may have become lost or damaged.
For more information on this or other services available at the Nevada County Community Library please visit https://www.mynevadacounty.com/290/Library or call your local branch.