Green Hills Public Library District Goes Fine Free

The Green Hills Public Library District is pleased to announce that it has become a fine free Library as of March 11, 2021.

As stated in the GHPLD's current Strategic Plan, the Library values inclusiveness and strives to ensure that all community members have the opportunity to utilize and benefit from materials, programs, and services. The Library's latest initiative of going fine free removes the assessment of overdue fines in an effort to eliminate barriers for Library card use.

This is an important change that will allow the Library to reach more community members and serve their information needs. So, what exactly does it mean to be fine free?

The Library's fine free structure is based on an 'our house, our rules' configuration. Any user checking out materials at GHPLD, resident or not, can benefit from the removal of overdue fine assessments. GHPLD cardholders should be aware that they are subject to the lending policies, including any applicable fines, of other surrounding libraries that they visit.

Instead of being charged for overdue fines, an alert will be placed on user accounts once an item is overdue for 14 days or longer. This alert will prevent future use of the card, but once the overdue item is returned, no fines are assessed and the card is free to be used again. The Library will continue to assess charges for materials that are lost or damaged.

The Library says that the loss of overdue fine revenue will not have any noticeable impact on the Library's budget. Library Director Jane Jenkins stated that "Our overdue fine revenue has accounted for less than 1% of our operating budget, and we have seen a steady decline the past several years."

Jenkins also added, "We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in job losses and financial insecurities. There's no better time than now to implement this change. As our community gets back into the job force, we want them to have unimpeded access to materials, computers, and other resources they need."

As a way to give back to the community, the Library has waived all existing overdue fines on GHPLD Library accounts, giving the community members a fresh start. Community members are encouraged to contact the Library to check the status of their account.

Along with the removal of overdue fines, the Library's lending policies were updated to create more consistency among the overall circulation structure. Please visit the Library's website for a complete list: greenhillslibrary.org/library-cards.

The GHPLD Board of Trustees approved the new structure of policies on February 15, 2021, and the changes went into effect on March 11, 2021. Patrons with questions about the new structure should contact the Library at 708-598-8446.

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