No Late Fines At South Brunswick Public Library. How Does That Work For Users?

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — The South Brunswick Public Library has closed the book on late fines. As of March 1, the library will not be imposing any late fines.

So, if you have a book that’s overdue at the library, this is the time to return it. More: Book Overdue? South Brunswick Library Plans To End Fines

“We trust our community understands the need to return library items so others can borrow them,” said Assistant Director Judy Pietrobono.

“Borrowers are responsible for returning or renewing items on or before their due date. If they do not, they will be sent reminder notices for all overdue items,”

So how does canceling late fines work? For one if you have any past late fine, they have all been cancelled. However, this service is available only for materials taken out of the South Brunswick Library, Pietrobono explained.

If you have materials you’ve taken from other libraries in the County, and have accrued late fines, they cannot be canceled. But many neighboring libraries like Plainsboro and Monroe are also fine free.

Despite doing away with the system of late fines, the public library is not putting a limit on how much residents can borrow at a time.

“We encourage people to borrow and read as much as they like. That's what we're here for,” Pietrobono said.

"However, if you fail to return something and the item is considered lost by us because it is long overdue, you need to return it before borrowing more or pay for it if it is truly lost.”

Replacement costs for materials that were lost or damaged still remain.

Late fines were often seen as a source of revenue for libraries. But with increased use of digital resources the SBPL did not see this as a sustainable revenue source, and it has very little impact on the budget.

A growing number of libraries across the country are eliminating late fees. Back in 2019, the governing body of the American Library Association adopted a resolution on library fines as a form of social inequality.

Eliminating late fees is seen as a matter of equity, access and social justice.

According to a report by NPR, late fees often disproportionately affect low-income families.

A 2016 report by the Colorado State Library System showed that removing overdue fines removed barriers to access for children and low-income parents.

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