BOZEMAN — Check it out - This week, the Bozeman Public Library is opting to leave its overdue fees in the past.
Starting January 2, the library is going “fine free.”
After an agreement between the library board and the City of Bozeman, the library will make it so patrons will not be fined daily for overdue materials, from books to other media.
The library will also erase all past overdue fines.
This doesn’t mean they don’t want their books back, patrons will still have a due date to bring materials back, otherwise, they will be charged.
Board members say this will help provide free access to more people who otherwise might be turned away.
“The understanding was that a lot of families had stopped coming to libraries because these daily fines become a real burden to them," says Susan Gregory, Bozeman Public Library director. "The American Library Association about 18 months ago started a policy request with public libraries across the country asking us to look for ways to eliminate those daily fines.”
The library joins several others in the state in doing this, along with following recommendations from the American Library Association.
