If you have overdue materials at any library in the City of Lincoln you no longer have to pay up. Lincoln City Libraries says as of September 1 it will stop charging overdue fees on all library materials.
LCL will also forgive current overdue fines, but for lost or damaged items. Items not returned 21 days after the due date are considered lost. Traci Glass, Assistant Library Director, says research shows overdue fines serve as a barrier to equitable access and dissuade the use of library services by lower income families.
She says it’s also not an effective tool in the return of library materials. “It is the mission of Lincoln City Libraries to foster the power of reading and provide open access to all forms of information to enrich lives every day,” Glass says. “This policy will enhance our ability to provide important access to all Lincoln residents.”
Glass said that overdue fines represent only 1%, or about $99,550, of the LCL budget. The elimination of overdue fines was recently approved by the City Council as part of the 2022-2024 City budget.
For more information on LCL, visit lincolnlibraries.org.