Library Waives $754K Worth Of Fines, Fees For Anne Arundel Co.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — County library officials have waived $754,637 worth of old fines and fees for patrons age 18 and younger, along with any outstanding late charges on children and teen materials from adult accounts. The generous gesture affected more than 33,000 people. Officials with the Anne Arundel County Public Library also announced that all children and teen books, movies and music will be fine free.

The announcement was made at an event at the Brooklyn Park Library where County Executive Steuart Pittman, AACPS Superintendent George Arlotto and 42 preschoolers from Park Elementary were on hand.

“Fines are a barrier that disproportionately impact people without the means to pay. As a public institution, we have a responsibility to make our items available to as many people as possible. Removing these fines (while still requiring the items to be returned) will allow more people to enjoy our materials for education, enrichment and inspiration,” said CEO Skip Auld in a statement.

“Eliminating the burden of debt on the backs of children and young adults who want to use library resources is a great step in making the county the Best Place for All,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman in a statement. “This initiative is a great fix to breaking down barriers, especially among our most vulnerable county residents.”

While fines will no longer be charged on children and teen materials, items must come back to the library in a timely fashion and replacement costs will be charged after 30 days. Damaged materials will also be assessed a replacement charge.