Beginning this month, Norridge and Harwood Heights residents will no longer face 15-cents-per-day fines for not returning books to Eisenhower Public Library on time.
The new policy, approved by the library board last month, takes effect at the start of National Library Week on April 10. And while fines will no longer be imposed, patrons will be blocked from checking out new items if they have five or more that are overdue.
Library Board president Mark Braun said the new fine-free policy would continue to prevent people from disappearing with materials by blocking patrons with five or more overdue items from using their cards.
“We thought it was a good initiative that would make people feel more respected, but there will be no free lunches here,” Braun said. “It’s not a deterrent for patrons to return materials because they’ll eventually get calls and a bill in the mail.”
After 42 days, the library will mail a bill to cardholders for the total cost of the overdue items, plus a processing fee, said library director Stacy Wittman. Seriously-delinquent patrons will eventually be referred to a collection agency.
The library rakes in about $21,000 per year in fees for overdue or lost items, Wittman said. Non-residents will still pay fees and since they comprise 30 percent of all library cardholders, that portion of the revenue stream will continue.
“It is money we won’t be bringing in, but it’s worth the loss in income for us to be able to thank our residents for supporting us through their tax bills,” Wittman said. “We’re not looking to penalize people through their wallets anymore because we realize returning library books isn’t always the first thing on your mind.”
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Norridge resident Steve Barta said it’s hard to keep track of books and movies checked out on multiple library cards his family holds. His 7-year-old son borrows the book his teacher reads in class so he can follow along, but sometimes forgets the books at school, his dad said.
“I really have to keep track of where all the books end up so I don’t get fined,” Barta said. “[The new policy] will make it easier. I think it will reduce the stress in life a little bit.”
Barta said he was happy with other steps the library has taken to make it easy to return materials, including the drive-thru book drop and an email reminder system that notifies patrons two days before the items’ due date.
Despite still having to pay late fines, non-residents who use the library will still get a break. During National Library Week, patrons with overdue fines can eliminate a dollar of their total bill for every food item they donate to the library.
“The fines can get up there, so we know it can be challenging for families or older residents on a fixed income to pay,” Wittman said. “All we ask is that we get our items back so that people can keep checking them out.”
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.