The Baldwin Borough Public Library is now fine free. That’s right! We no longer charge fines on late items. This ensures that all people have access to library books and materials, which is our primary purpose as a public library. Here you’ll find information about this new policy and how it affects you.
Many people have asked us, why?
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Fine free is good for our community. We are stronger when everyone has equal access to the programs, services, and materials they need to pursue their education, career, and life goals.
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Late fines are not effective. Studies have shown that small fines have no impact on return rates.
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It’s fiscally responsible. Due to the rise in eBooks (which do not accrue late fines) and other factors, fines are not a sustainable form of revenue for the library. Money collected from fines and fees has gone down steadily for the past 5 years, and is expected to continue to decrease.
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A library should never be a financial burden in your life. We are here to improve your life, not add stress or challenges
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Here are some articles about fine free libraries in the news.
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Below are some FAQs about the program, including the background into our decision.
So, what does this mean for you?
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If you check out or return materials to our library, you will no longer receive a daily late fine on overdue items. Not all libraries are part of this fine free pilot. Only items that are checked out or returned directly to the Baldwin Library will not have overdue fines.
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You are still responsible for returning your items. We do want all items back!
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The library will send you a series of reminders to return your items. Most items will be automatically renewed for you, as long as there is no hold on the item. To help reduce confusion, we built in another reminder about your due dates.
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Items that are overdue by 6 weeks or more will be considered lost, and you will be billed for them. If you return the items, the bill will be cleared from your account. Again, we just want our items back!
Reminder Notices
We have updated our automatic notices to reflect fine free and automatic renewals. Notices will be sent earlier and more often to help you keep track of item due dates. The library sends automated messages by email, phone, text or mail, depending on your preference. We advise that you login into your account for the most updated information.
- Courtesy Notice: 3 Days before an item is due
- First Overdue Notice: 1 day late
- Second Overdue Notice: 14 days (2 weeks) late
- Third Overdue Notice: 28 days ( 1 month) late
- Billed: 42 days late (6 weeks)