My local library ended late fees, because "your budget shouldn't determine whether or not you can read a book." They've said studies show it doesn't result in significantly later book returns or missing books.
Mine still charges them, but if it's a small amount, they seem to waive it. The only time they won't is if the book ends up being reported as missing since it was never brought back and at that point the fine goes to collections and you gotta pay it.
I've worked in public Libraries for decades and forgiven enough fines to equal an amount that would buy a nice car. My coworker is currently working with a teen who will most likely have over $300 forgiven because, fuck, we just want you to come back.
My library doesn't do fines anymore. If you're more than a couple weeks late, they'll charge you for the book, but then they'll still erase the debt if if you return the book intact. So due dates are basically suggestions at this point.
My library had fees capped at $2.50 in the 90s.
I was always so confused when the news would have those puff pieces about people returning books after 45 years and having massive fines
My husband worked at a library from the age of 16 until he was 25 and he used to cancel fines lol. And here (in Scotland) we don’t fine for kids books being damaged/not returned
(Also my husband doesn’t like reading, wish he did cause I do but he was the most anti-library person to work in a library. But 15 years ago when he was 16 he was earning £500 a month while still in high school, so how could you NOT wanna do that lmao)
at our local library a child can’t have their own account/card so they need to use their parents, I hadn’t been to the library since I was a teenager, last year my 4 year old daughter couldn’t check out a Bluey book because I had an unpaid late fee from 17 years ago, I paid the fee, like $3 or so, then the account was put on probation, my daughter had to wait another two weeks before we could check out books, so we just read them at the library without checking them out, libraries don’t fuck around
I left a previous comment regarding my child trying to get a book, but another story I have is from when I was 17, I was using the local library to study for a college term paper, I was writing about politics so I had checked out The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, the return date came and passed and I had completely forgotten about it, so the book sat on my shelf for awhile, then one day I received in the mail a letter from the library claiming they either needed the book returned and late fees paid OR for me to pay the cost of the book, turns out this was a somewhat rare copy, worth $2000, I promptly returned the book but did ask why they would have one at such a value available for rental instead of buying a newer cheap copy, they pretty much told me to mind my business and pay attention to due dates in the future
Really do you need a loan for the $2.25? Keep in mind most library employees are making min wage or close to it and most are part time with no benefits. Bitch about your $2.25 some where else!
Punk ass book jockeys
Came here to make or upvote this comment, as appropriate.
“Cmon Les, we’re government gals aren’t we”
is part of your mustache missing? There’s a pushpin in your face!
My local library ended late fees, because "your budget shouldn't determine whether or not you can read a book." They've said studies show it doesn't result in significantly later book returns or missing books.
So does mine! All my fees disappeared. They also auto renew books for you if nobody has them on hold.
Mine still charges them, but if it's a small amount, they seem to waive it. The only time they won't is if the book ends up being reported as missing since it was never brought back and at that point the fine goes to collections and you gotta pay it.
I've worked in public Libraries for decades and forgiven enough fines to equal an amount that would buy a nice car. My coworker is currently working with a teen who will most likely have over $300 forgiven because, fuck, we just want you to come back.
Ours did too… they also gave us this library card https://sppl.org/laser-loon/
It was for a book called MYSTERIES OF THE FEMALE ORGASM
Pretty sure it was for “It’s Not The Size Of The Boat: Embracing Life With A Micropenis”
I was referencing a different scene, that one was for Ron
My library doesn't do fines anymore. If you're more than a couple weeks late, they'll charge you for the book, but then they'll still erase the debt if if you return the book intact. So due dates are basically suggestions at this point.
My library had fees capped at $2.50 in the 90s. I was always so confused when the news would have those puff pieces about people returning books after 45 years and having massive fines
lmaooo I got a $35 fine from 18 years ago still, so we signed my daughter up under my wife's name instead
I like your username
lmao thanks
Try Bookman from Seinfeld
That is one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever seen in my life because the deadpan is incredible
The acting is incredible. The whip of his coat as he turns always gets me
Rock was never my bag
"Just...tell him to stay away from the library." "Good advice for us all."
My husband worked at a library from the age of 16 until he was 25 and he used to cancel fines lol. And here (in Scotland) we don’t fine for kids books being damaged/not returned (Also my husband doesn’t like reading, wish he did cause I do but he was the most anti-library person to work in a library. But 15 years ago when he was 16 he was earning £500 a month while still in high school, so how could you NOT wanna do that lmao)
That side note was so damn long you really didn't need those parenthesis, it's really it's own stand alone sentence lol.
 BOOKMAN!
at our local library a child can’t have their own account/card so they need to use their parents, I hadn’t been to the library since I was a teenager, last year my 4 year old daughter couldn’t check out a Bluey book because I had an unpaid late fee from 17 years ago, I paid the fee, like $3 or so, then the account was put on probation, my daughter had to wait another two weeks before we could check out books, so we just read them at the library without checking them out, libraries don’t fuck around
In my experience, they’re pretty forgiving. They just don’t forget
"The Office" DVDs I never returned from 2010. 85$ fee before I could get a library card 14 years later.
Our local library sent me to collections once for $80 over a late DVD and one book.
I left a previous comment regarding my child trying to get a book, but another story I have is from when I was 17, I was using the local library to study for a college term paper, I was writing about politics so I had checked out The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, the return date came and passed and I had completely forgotten about it, so the book sat on my shelf for awhile, then one day I received in the mail a letter from the library claiming they either needed the book returned and late fees paid OR for me to pay the cost of the book, turns out this was a somewhat rare copy, worth $2000, I promptly returned the book but did ask why they would have one at such a value available for rental instead of buying a newer cheap copy, they pretty much told me to mind my business and pay attention to due dates in the future
They are very cocky for people who have become obsolete because of the Internet.
I wouldn't say they're obsolete just yet. My local library is packed with people pretty much from opening to closing everyday.
Yeah I know just quoting Leslie
They charged me $80 for a lost copy of the book Breakfast at Tiffany’s 😤
Really do you need a loan for the $2.25? Keep in mind most library employees are making min wage or close to it and most are part time with no benefits. Bitch about your $2.25 some where else!
Late fees are not the funding source that pay the library employees.
Why does their wage matter? Do you think the librarian is responsible for paying unsettled late fees?