[Michlib-l] TADL Eliminates Overdue Fines for Children’s and Young Adult materials.

[Matthew Wiliford]

Effective immediately, the Traverse Area District Library (TADL) will no
longer charge fines on overdue children’s and teen items. In an important
move to support literacy and equity, the TADL Board of Trustees unanimously
approved the elimination of overdue fines for Juvenile and Young Adult
materials.

Eliminating overdue fines on youth and teen items will increase library
access for children, teens, and families. Research has shown that overdue
fines are ineffective as a way to motivate people to return books on time,
but instead create a barrier for children and families to use the library.

TADL Board of Trustees Vice President, Micheal Vickery, hopes that the
elimination of overdue fines for youth and teen items will encourage some
conversations at home about responsible stewardship of common resources.

“Library materials are a shared community resource, so our goal is to
encourage patrons to return overdue materials and to continue using the
incredible resources of the district libraries,” said Vickery. “We don’t
want young patrons to lose access to the value of the libraries just
because an item they’ve checked out is overdue.”

As a part of this change, past fines currently owed for late Juvenile and
Young Adult materials will be forgiven. Youth and Teen materials will still
have due dates, and as always, patrons will be responsible to return books
on time and to pay for replacement costs if an item is lost or destroyed.

For more information about Borrowing Privileges or Lending Periods
<https://www.tadl.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/3.21-Fines-and-Lending-Periods-2019-12-19-signed.pdf>
for
TADL, stop by any Service Desk at one of six community library locations or
visit tadl.org for details.
###






Matthew Wiliford

Marketing & Communications Manager

Traverse Area District Library

610 Woodmere Avenue

Traverse City, MI 49686

231.932.8501 | www.tadl.org
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