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HEARING - Library Department recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 212-2024 revising the library fines and fees schedule to end fines for overdue items and update replacement cost charges;
2) Direct staff to return to the Board with a discharge of liability request to waive the collection of outstanding overdue fines and fees that have been eliminated with the above Resolution.
FUNDING: Library Fines and Fees.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The current schedule of fines and fees was established in 1995 and last reviewed in 2007. The schedule does not align with the practices of neighboring library systems or modern borrowing philosophies for public libraries. Fines or charging fees to borrow items create community inequalities that can affect some of the most vulnerable populations including children, families, and those on a fixed income. Many libraries that have implemented a 'fine free' model report an increase in returned overdue items, library card applications, and item checkouts. The fine free model does not charge fines for overdue materials, but charges for lost or damaged items. Any patron with an item kept 21 days past the item due date will have their account locked until the item is returned or an item replacement cost is paid.
Overdue fines and video rental costs generate approximately $70,000 annually for Library Department. By moving from a proprietary to open-source integrated library system ("ILS") and online public assess catalog ("OPAC") in the Summer of 2024, the Library Department strategically created an annual cost-savings as a potential path to no longer charge overdue fines or video rental fees to their customers and become a 'fine free' library system. The Library will combine this action with a reduction in wireless hotspot and physical audiobook budgets and upgrade self-checkout machines to a product included in the open-source ILS, resulting in an annual cost-savings of approximately $70,000. Therefore, the change would be cost neutral with no impact to Net County Cost.
The proposed Resolution will update Library fines and fees as follows:
Fines - Proposed Changes:
1. No overdue fines.
Fees - Proposed Changes:
1. Lost Adult or Young Adult book - cost of book
2. Lost Juvenile book - cost of book
3. Processing free for lost book - no charge
4. Lost cassette from audiobook set - remove, no longer offered
User Fees - Proposed Changes:
1. Replacement card - no charge
2. Non-California resident card - no charge
3. Kinkade Audiobook check out - remove, no longer offered
4. Video/DVD check out - no charge
5. Microfilm print - $0.15 per page
6. Color copy - $1.00 per page
The updated fines and fees will be effective upon adoption of the Resolution. A notice of the updated fines and fees was published in the Mt. Democrat on November 6, 2024, and November 3, 2024.
The Library is also asking the Board to direct staff to return to the Board with a discharge accountability for the Library to collect past overdue fines. The Board’s authority to discharge accountability of debts is based on California Government Section Code Section 25257 to 25259, “any department, officer, or employee of a county charged by law with the collection of any county or district tax assessment, penalty, cost, license fees, or any money, which is due and payable to the county or district for any reason, may apply to the board of supervisors for a discharge from accountability for the collection thereof if the amount is too small to justify the cost of collection, the likelihood of collection does not warrant the expense involved, or the amount thereof has been otherwise lawfully compromised or adjusted.” There is currently $286,500 in outstanding overdue fines, from almost 14,000 library users, of this amount more than 50% is from five or more years ago. Due to the age of the majority of the fines, it is unlikely that the Library Department will be able to collect these outstanding overdue fines and the expense of the collection does not justify the cost. Further, outstanding overdue fines create barriers for vulnerable populations to access library resources and can prevent the return of long overdue library items. Staff will return once the new fee schedule is adopted and becomes effective, ending any further accrual of overdue fines and fees.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to adopt the resolution resulting in dated library practices and reduce the availability of library resources for the community.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Resolution 165-2007 (07/10/2007) revised library fines and fees schedule.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no impact to Net County Cost, as the Library has identified ongoing savings to offset the loss of overdue fine revenue.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Obtain the Chair’s signature on the Resolution and forward a copy to Bryce Lovell.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Strategic Innovation.
CONTACT
Bryce Lovell, Director of Library Services