COLORADO SPRINGS – If you’ve checked out books from the Pikes Peak Library District and then forgotten to return them on time, then you’ve probably experienced paying fines for the late return. Now, there’s a little bit of good news for book lovers.
Starting on February 1st, the Pikes Peak Library District will no longer charge you for being a little bit late on your returns. Dropping the charges comes just in time for a county-wide celebration of Library Lover’s Month. Director of Library Services Tim Blevins, says their mission as an organization is to eliminate barriers to information and resources. Blevins says they had a trial run of eliminating overdue fines and didn’t see longer hold times for patrons but did see a positive impact on borrowing. He also says the fines are particularly prohibitive for the community’s most vulnerable families.
In all reality, overdue fines accounted for less than one percent of the library’s overall revenue in 2017. Fees will still be charged for lost or damaged materials. Additionally, Pikes Peak Library District will roll out automatic renewals later on in Library Lover’s Month. The day before books are due, the library’s system will automatically renew them up to two times, so long as no other patron placed a hold on the material. Keep in mind that there are some exceptions to the materials that can be automatically renewed, like rapid reads, e-materials, and equipment checkouts.
