Patrons No Longer Face Most Fines At Howard County Library System

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Overdue fines for all Howard County Library System materials, except for items in the DIY and art education collections, will be eliminated effective Aug. 1. At their June 24 meeting, the HCLS board of trustees approved the policy eradicating those fines.

“At Howard County Library System, we are committed to welcoming and serving the entire community. Our community is stronger and healthier when everyone has access to the materials they need to pursue their educational, career, family and life goals,” said HCLS president and CEO Tonya Aikens in a statement. “Going fine-free is aligned with our commitment to equity and positions us to more fully live our mission of providing high quality public education for all Howard County residents.”

All accounts will be wiped clean of existing overdue fines on Aug. 1 with the exception of fees and fines for items in the DIY and art collections. Items in HCLS’ DIY and art collections will continue to accrue fines when they are returned late. Those collections are small in comparison with all other collections and demand typically exceeds supply, especially in the DIY collection.

Borrowed items will continue to have due dates and borrowers will receive notices of when their items are due to be returned. Additionally, HCLS will continue to ask customers to pay the cost of replacing any lost or damaged items.

"Our top-ranked library system is a valuable treasure for our community, providing free access to unlimited knowledge and allowing all our residents the opportunity to read, learn and grow," said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. "We're incredibly grateful to the board of trustees and CEO Tonya Aikens for taking this critical bold step to make our libraries more equitable and accessible - and for their constant commitment to encouraging life-long learning and growth for all."

Prior to the new policy, HCLS charged 20 cents per day for most overdue materials and $1 per day for DVDs and Launchpads. Each item had a maximum fine of $6 per book or CD and $10 per DVD. Under this fine structure, a parent who borrowed a dozen books and two movies would owe $4.40 each day the items were late. In just one week, that would add up to $26.40 in overdue fines. The potential for incurring a large fine for a small infraction can keep people from taking full advantage of the library’s collection, borrowing fewer materials in order to keep their fine risk low. Others choose not to use the library at all. Overdue fines account for just two percent of the library’s budget.