Frank Carlson Library won’t charge fines on children’s items

The Frank Carlson Library board of trustees announces a change to the library's policy regarding overdue fines charged for materials returned late.
Effective immediately, the library will no longer charge fines on children's items checked out on children's borrower's cards. This policy will be in effect until March 31, 2020, and will be evaluated at the April 7 board meeting.
The purpose of the change is to encourage increased use of the library by children.
Recognizing that library fines may pose an economic barrier to service, the board decided to temporarily eliminate them for children.
“Children usually have no independent income, and may not be able to pay their fines. The previous policy stopped them from checking out materials until fines were paid, even if materials had been returned,” library director Denise De Rochefort-Reynolds said, “Furthermore, many kids can't get to the library on their own because they live too far away to walk, or they have to cross the highway to get here. Because they are dependent on their parents for transportation, they may not be able to return materials on time.
The new policy does not eliminate fines for adults or for adult materials checked out by children. Nor does it pertain to fines accrued before January 2020. The new policy does not eliminate fees for lost or damaged items.
To aid the library board in evaluating the effectiveness of the new policy, parents are invited to share their thoughts with the library staff. All comments will remain confidential.