CLEVELAND — Late fees at Cuyahoga County Public Library will be a thing of the past after trustees decided Wednesday to eliminate the fees effective immediately.
The library system also announced that it is forgiving all past-due fees and fines giving the public a “fresh start.”
Cuyahoga County Public Library said late fees provide less than 1% of the organization’s revenue and that “the value of eliminating fines and opening access far exceeds the cost.”
“We are making this change because overdue fines are a barrier for many residents who simply cannot afford to pay if they are a few days late returning an item,” the library said. “Fines are a penalty, not a library reimbursement, that residents are charged even when they return an overdue item. When fines accrue over time, they represent a financial barrier that disproportionately affects low-income families and children.”
The library said that items that aren’t returned after 21 days will be considered “lost” and the customer will be charged with replacing the item. The library notes that returning the “lost” item would clear the fine, which it says provides a “strong incentive” for customers to return items.
The library said when someone owes between $10 and $99 in replacement fees, their account will automatically convert to Opportunity Card status, which limits them to three physical items checked out at a time. Accounts with more than $100 in replacement fees on record will be blocked, the library said.
Cleveland Public Library implemented a similar policy in 2019.
Cuyahoga County Public Library operates 28 branches throughout the Cleveland suburbs.
