Tuscaloosa Public Library Does Away With Fines, Late Fees

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa Public Library on Monday announced that it is joining libraries in over 200 cities by doing away with fines and late fees.

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TPL said the decision was made in an effort to ensure access for those in the community, as fines most often affect those who can't afford to pay them. While there will be no overdue fines, TPL also said all outstanding fines have been waived.

The primary change will see materials not returned on time resulting in the account holder not being able to check out any additional materials.

In explaining the decision, TPL said studies show that people with late fines are less likely to visit the library again. The library then said statistics also show more library items were returned when fines were waived, in addition to increases in borrowing and library card registration.

"We want Tuscaloosa Public Library to be a welcoming space, not a source of anxiety or stress," the library said in its announcement. "By going fine free we hope to encourage prior users to come back to the Library and attract new users to experience everything our Library has to offer."

TPL also said there will be "very little" impact to its budget as a result of the changes, as overdue fines account for less than 1% of its yearly revenue.

"By eliminating fines, staff can spend less time managing the collection of fines and more time directly assisting library users," the library said. "Overdue fines are simply not a sustainable or reliable form of revenue for the Library and were never meant to be."

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