Fines To Be Eliminated For Most Overdue Items At Fairfax County Libraries

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — On Wednesday, the Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees approved the elimination of overdue fines for most library materials starting Jan. 1, 2022.

Library staff are already working to forgive fines already incurred and stop new fines for most items in 2022. Overdue fines will continue to be charged for special collections items such as interlibrary loan materials, Chromebooks and mobile hotspots.

"The FCPL Board of Trustees has approved eliminating fines on most library materials and joins surrounding jurisdictions in removing this significant barrier to equitable access to information and library services," stated Board of Trustees Chair Fran Millhouser.

According to an analysis of the library, overdue fines tend to disproportionately affect young people and residents in low-income areas. Before the pandemic, about 17 percent of cardholders were blocked cards due to over $15 in fines. Blocked accounts were higher in areas served by Reston Regional Library, City of Fairfax Regional Library, George Mason Regional Library, Kingstowne Library and Sherwood Regional Library. In addition, 23 percent of youth cardholders were blocked cards.

The library system says library systems in neighboring localities and around the U.S. that have eliminated fines have seen increases in returned materials and continued on-time returns.

"Equity is driving our shift to a fine-free model of library services; we don’t want accrual of overdue fines to deter anyone who wants to use the library," said Fairfax County Public Library Director Jessica Hudson in a statement.

Other neighboring localities that went fine-free in 2021 were Alexandria and Prince William County libraries. The City of Falls Church and Arlington County libraries eliminated fines in 2020, and Loudoun County libraries had eliminated fines in 2019.