

On behalf of the Morrisville Public Library Board of Trustees, I am delighted to announce that as of Tuesday Sept. 4, we will eliminate late fees at the Morrisville Public Library. This covers any overdue fees associated with any item checked out of our building and any fines accrued up to that point.

The most important reason for taking this step is that late fees create a potential barrier to literacy and information. We would prefer to encourage people to take out as many books and other materials as they want. Collecting late fees was a way for our community to help the library; now, eliminating them is a way for us to help our community.

Fines for overdue materials are as old as public libraries. The earliest libraries in the United States charged a membership fee and were only open periodically. They used the membership money and fines to buy new books. When free and open public libraries became the norm, fines were meant to be gentle reminders to be responsible and bring back materials so that everyone could enjoy them. Libraries were limited to what they had on their own shelves and it was a big deal if someone kept a book longer than the borrowing period. That meant everyone else was deprived of the use of that book. That part has not changed. But, because we have the means to share material with other libraries, our shelves are not bare because someone brought their book back late.

This change, while new to Morrisville, is part of a growing local trend. We are the 27th library in the Mid York Library System to be fine free (out of 43).

We are also enrolling in auto-renewals. No more having to renew items - it’s done for you. No more worrying about when your materials are due!

For more information on our services or upcoming events, check out our website at www.midyorklib.org/morrisville, find us on Facebook, Instagram, or just stop in.

 

Michelle Rounds, manager of the Morrisville Public Library, can be reached at 315-684-9130 or by email at mrounds@midyork.org.
https://www.uticaod.com/news/20180829/morrisville-library-goes-fine-free
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