To Encourage Equity and Inclusion, Ypsilanti District Library and AADL Eliminate Fines

by Sam Killian

In May, the Ypsilanti District Library’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to eliminate most fines after receiving recommendations from the library’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) team. According to EDI research, fines are mostly punitive and minimally effective. They also do not align with the Library’s commitment to inclusiveness. The Board members of the Ann Arbor District Library also voted in May to eliminate fines for overdue materials.

A 2019 resolution from the American Library Association showed that monetary fines make it harder for some community members to access library materials, and that there is “mounting evidence that indicates eliminating fines increases library card adoption and library usage.”

According to its 2020 tax return, the Ann Arbor District Library collected $120,000 in fines. That amount was down from $337,000 collected in fines in 2015. In total, between 2015 and 2020, the AADL collected $1.3 million in fines from its patrons. During that same period, the AADL system, funded by a dedicated millage, took in over $50 million in revenue, the bulk of which came from taxpayers.

“AADL suspended overdue fees on March 13, 2020. On May 23, 2022, at AADL’s Board of Trustees meeting, the Board voted to permanently eliminate them,” said AADL spokesman Rich Retyi in an email.

Denise Belser is the Senior Program Specialist, Race, Equity, And Leadership (REAL) Initiative for the National League of Cities. She has studied the issue of the systemic racism reflected in library fines. Belser says, “Library fines are imposed inequitably and shown to be ineffective in eliminating past-due returns while disproportionately affecting communities of color.”

Ypsi Library Director Lisa Hoenig agrees, “It’s important to be welcoming to all. We’re happy to eliminate a barrier that has kept parts of our community from using the library.”

According to a recent Detroit Free Press article, 44 percent of Michigan libraries have eliminated overdue fines.

What does fine-free mean at YDL?

Ypsilanti District Library patrons will no longer be charged a daily late fine on overdue items. The Library’s Board also removed all overdue fines users may have accrued before the Library went fine-free. However, past fees for lost or damaged items will still apply. Patrons are still responsible for returning items. YDL will send reminders to let users know if something becomes overdue. Materials that are 28 days overdue are assumed lost and the cardholder must either return the item or pay the replacement cost.

People with existing fines on their account are encouraged to visit the Library for help clearing them, even for older charges from lost or damaged materials.

“Our hope is that eliminating late fees will inspire people to return materials, even when they’re late, rather than having them go into lost status,” said Hoenig. “And the research we’ve seen supports that.”

According to reporting published in the Free Press article, eliminating fines also proved a time-saver for library staff and allowed for more positive interactions with patrons.

“This change will hopefully make YDL a more deeply accessible part of the community — one that can lift up and support its members without the fear of punitive fees,” said YDL Assistant Director Julianne Smith.

Why YDL eliminated late fines

YDL is joining a growing trend across Michigan and around the country whereby public libraries eliminate fees on overdue materials. A 2019 American Library Association(ALA) resolution encouraged libraries to “scrutinize their practices of imposing fines on library patrons and actively move towards eliminating them.” In response, during the COVID-19 pandemic, YDL suspended fines from March 2020–July 2021, and waived the bulk of existing fines in 2020.

The data gathered by the YDL during this time, as well as data from other libraries that had eliminated fines, confirmed that overdue materials fines have limited financial benefits and can result in a loss of goodwill from the community.

“The amount of fines collected by the library does not reduce the overall tax burden or provide enough income to support specific services,” said Smith. “In addition, fines are shown to have the greatest negative impact on those that need the free services of the library the most.” 

Fines have traditionally been a very small fraction of YDL’s total revenue. The addition of an auto-renewal system has also made it easier to manage materials returns. Statistics on the impact of the move to fine-free will be included in future YDL annual reports, as well as YDL’s website and social media feeds.

“We’ll see lots of data about the logistical and financial impacts of going fine free,” said Hoenig. “But we hope the positive impact across our community will resonate more than anything else.”