2019-01-25 SPLAT Curiosity Report: Volume 2, Issue 7

Featured Story

Fine and Fees: Is Fine Free for Every Library

In the last few months I have read several articles about the growing trend in libraries to do away with fines and fees. The one that I found most interested is “Doing Fine(s)? Fines and Fees” by Jennifer A. Dixon and Steven A. Gillis, “Library Journal”, 4 April 2017. This article is largely the findings of a random survey of public libraries done in January 2017. The survey looked at things like average fine and fee collections, service fees charged, and fine amounts for various materials as well as asking questions like “Has your library ever considered doing away with fines?” The responses are looked at in total as well as separated by small (<25,000 patrons), midsize (25,000-99,000 patrons), and large (100,000+ patrons) libraries. As most of our libraries in Idaho fall into the small to midsize categories I was most interested in these responses. In seems that small libraries who bring in the least in revenue ($740 average combined fines and fees) and have the smallest monthly average cost to collect fines ($84) are the least likely to consider doing away with fines (only 25.9% responded yes) while large libraries who collect more in fines and fees ($16,558 average combined fines and fees) and spend the most in fine and fee collection ($3,265 average) are the most likely to consider doing away with fines (53.5% responded yes). At the end of the survey results the authors state “The clearest trend from these results is that libraries benefit most from open-mindedness about these revenue sources and a willingness to move away from entrenched traditional methods.There is a cost, in staff time and effort particularly, to collecting fines and fees from patrons, and libraries must balance this by collecting in a way that makes sense for the individual library and community.”

The reason that this been such a hot topic for me is that one of the libraries in my community, Portneuf District Library, recently went fine free and our patrons at Marshall Public Library asked if we would be doing the same. I spoke with Josh Barnes, assistant director at Portneuf, and asked him about what lead to their library going fine free. I learned that they already had several policies in place that naturally led to their decision to go fine free in March of this year. These policies included 3 auto renewals on items checked out, 2 annual amnesty months in May and September to get children ready for summer reading as well as back to school, and a year round Food for Fines program. While they still charge for lost or damaged items, they were collecting so little in overdue fines that it just made sense to do away with them.

When I sat down with our associate director at Marshall Public Library, Trina Bonman, I learned that as a city department there is an expectation that we will have a stream of revenue which includes fines and fees. Does that mean that we are unable to provide a way to remove the barriers that fines can be on our patrons? Absolutely not. We offer a wide range of options including a Read for Fines program for children’s cards, which has been able to waive approximately $350 in fines since its inception in April of this year, Food for Fines in November, which collected 1,684 items for our local food bank, and payment plans, which at least helps items get returned to the library and helps to alleviate some of the embarrassment of particularly large fines.

The question I have to ask is this: what more can your library do to evaluate their policies in regards to fines and fees in order to promote as much free access to materials and information as they can?

– Jackie Wood

Fail Forward

We’ve all been there. You pour your heart into a program, and no one shows up. You try something new, and you fall on your face. Sound familiar? Fail Forward is the place to share your failures, and give you the opportunity to share what you learned from them. Did you promote your program in a different way after no one showed up? Maybe you took a new approach to the new thing you were excited about? Awesome! Share your story via our online form so others can learn, and realize that failure is often part of the process.

The Disorganized Librarian

This semester, I was failing hard in one main area: organization. After a few months of large display planning, non-stop classes, crafty/large scale events, and new making tools, my office was incredibly disorganized. I just didn’t have enough time between projects. I’ve taken some steps to declutter, rearrange, and bring some things home that probably don’t belong in the office (camping cooler? Why was this in my office? Oh yes, cooling drinks for an event.) Now that I have less clutter, it’s easier to find places to put things away, so it’s easier to stay organized. I know that I needed a motivating factor, and that factor was a visit from our college accreditation board, who were going to be using the conference room next to my office. Find an event that you want to be organized for, and then check out these posts for some inspiration and ideas:

– Kate Flower

Crush Corner

Is there a library you follow on social media who is always doing new and exciting things? How about a blog you follow that inspires you in the work you do? Library Crush Corner is a place for those working in Idaho libraries to share what inspires them, and who they’re crushing on… in a professional sense. Share your story via our online form so we can publish it in a future issue!

Resources for School Librarians

I love the simplicity and utility of the Resources for School Librarians website, so I just have to share it. It is maintained and regularly updated by retired school librarian Linda Bertland. She includes links to all sorts of web pages that would be of interest to the school librarian and those interested in the school library, and even includes a virtual middle school library with links for students. She even includes a section with Library Humor! This website has been a great quick reference for me, and I highly recommend it.

– Gretchen Perkins

SPLAT explores new ways to build capacity and support library folk as they serve their communities. Library folk throughout the state of Idaho volunteer to serve on the Special Projects Library Action Team (SPLAT). Learn more about SPLAT at splat.lili.org

SPLAT is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible, in part, by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LS-00-18-0013-18). The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.