As of July 1, 2020, we are happy to announce that our library is now entirely fine free, meaning we no longer charge overdue fines.
Overdue fines are a barrier to library use. In 2019, the American Library Association passed a Resolution on Monetary Library Fines as a Form of Social Inequity. The Urban Libraries Council has written about how eliminating library fees advance racial equity.
Increasing access and equity are a core part of our mission and our strategic plan. This decision was reviewed and supported by the Library Advisory Board and City Council.
We have waived all fines on patron’s accounts, allowing everyone to have a fresh start.
Yes. Patron accounts will continue to be charged for any item checked out but not returned. Please contact Circulation staff if you have been charged a Lost fee.
An item is considered Overdue for the first 29 days after the due date. On day 30 the item becomes “Lost” and the system automatically charges the patron the cost of replacing the item. Usually even one “Lost” charge is enough to block a patron from checking out more materials until the issue is resolved.
Overdue fines accounted for less than 1% of library revenues. In putting together the budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, we were able to put together a balanced budget without the revenues from overdue fines. This budget was adopted by Corvallis City Council.
If you are interested in supporting the library financially, a donation to the Friends of the Library or Library Foundation is always appreciated.