<html><head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Novell Groupwise Client (Version 14.0.2 Build: 120664)">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head>
<body style="font: 10pt/normal Segoe UI; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><div class="GroupWiseMessageBody" id="GroupWiseSection_1488919242000_dewick@southfieldlibrary.org_32A03F9001340000A15F0A00DB001B00_"><div><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Below are the responses I received answering my question about eliminating overdue fines.</font> </div><div><br></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; text-align: center; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>Discussion on
Removing Overdue Fines</span></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'><font size="3"> </font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri">Colleagues,</font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri"> </font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri">I read
with interest the recent Slate article on eliminating overdue fines and
wondered if any local libraries have taken this step? If you have, please
respond to me off list. I will compile the responses I get and repost them.
Here's the link to the article in case you missed it: </font></span></i><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2017/02/librarians_are_realizing_that_overdue_fines_undercut_libraries_missions.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='color: blue; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri" size="3">http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2017/02/librarians_are_realizing_that_overdue_fines_undercut_libraries_missions.html</font></span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri"> </font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri">While I'd
like to take the plunge and eliminate fines, I'm worried about 1) sending a
message to patrons that we don't need the revenue; 2) the actual loss of
revenue it could cause; and 3) whether it would cause issues with our neighbors
if we removed fines from residents but kept them for reciprocal borrowers and
other non-residents. I welcome any thoughts on the issue, even if you haven't
done it. </font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri"> </font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri">Thanks,</font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style='font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;'><font face="Calibri">Dave</font></span></i></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p><font size="3"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>Cromaine:</span></b><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'> We have never charged fines. It is
highly unlikely we would. As our trustees have explained (and me, and our
staff), the labor cost of counting nickels & dimes is absurd. </span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><font size="3">Because
we never have, it isn't a loss, although some patrons have told us that we
should. These, I suspect, are patrons who either do not use us or who are OCD
on returning on time. I have seen a fines budget of $90,000 per year
(Bloomfield, I think?). And, as a relatively new (one year) member of SAS, you
bet it causes our neighbor libraries problems. But those are their problems and
not ours. We have not seen a big uptick in patrons driving out of their way to
northeast Livingston County in order to return their materials at a library
that does not charge fines. Having fine structures that differ by "class"
of library cardholder? Ick, both in communications and the actual day-to-day
attempt to deliver positive service. </font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'>Highland</span></b><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'>: Thanks for raising the question. The
article had caught my eye, too.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'>Part of
what was of interest is that cards are blocked for those with items "more
than three weeks overdue." So, it's not that there's no consequences - in
fact, I think the blocking of the card happens a little sooner in this scenario
than our current time frame for billing for an item as assumed lost. Lost/damaged
fines still apply. So, emphasis falls on materials recovery not on due date
rules.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'>Don't
think we're ready to take the leap - concern for lost revenue - but I made sure
my Board saw this article, with the line about empowering staff to use good
judgement in waiving fines highlighted. Weigh lost revenue against good will,
time spent in haggling over fines and negativity that generates and I'm
honestly not sure how that would fall out.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'>When Cromaine/Hartland (Highland's neighbor) joined the
Shared Automated System I was initially worried because they are fine free and I
didn't know how that would affect us. But at this point, without really digging
into it, I can't see it's been a major problem.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><font size="3"> </font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>Independence</span></b><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did not
eliminate fines but we did turn on the auto-renew feature on our ILS. It has
reduced late materials, increased circulation, and made for happier patrons. We
have a max of 2 renewals on most items. Some would say that the increased circulation
is a false inflation of the stat but in my opinion, if the patron keeps an item
past the due date we should be counting that as an additional circulation. We
did have a campaign to educate patrons about the importance of holds when you
need an item and how that prevents auto-renew. Auto-renew has reduced revenue
somewhat but fine revenue has always been less than 1% of our budget anyway so
we decided it was a positive feature for patrons without giving the impression
that we don't need the money at all, as you said.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>I remember that Capital Area
District Library used to be fine-free when I was working in Lansing about 11
years ago, but reinstated fines shortly thereafter...I'm not sure of the exact
reasoning. I believe that while Lance Werner was their director he increased
the fine rates in an effort to improve revenue but it backfired in that regard
and resulted in patrons getting better about returning their materials on time
which, as he said when he was telling me about it, is really the point of fines
in the first place. If you want an accurate account you should really contact
him about it.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>It will be
interesting to hear what you find out.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style='color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;'>Gross Pointe:</span></b><span style='color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: text1;'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is something we are thinking about in
Grosse Pointe, although still in a very conceptual way at this point. I am
eager to hear the results of your query from other TLN libraries!</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; line-height: normal; -ms-text-autospace:; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'>Flat Rock:</span></b><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Interesting read. I would not completely eliminate fines because the
materials we have are for everyone to use and the fines are for several reasons,
including patrons feeling more compelled to return the item they checked out.
More importantly, patrons are at a disadvantage when item isn't returned at the
due date. That being said, overdue fines can be waived or payment plans can be
created for those who are unable to pay the full amount or if the patron
doesn't have a "history" of overdue/lost fines. These are case by
case scenarios, of course.</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal; -ms-text-autospace:; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>Garden
City:</span></b><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My initial thought was "what about the revenue?" But then I
considered what a small percent of our revenue that is. In Garden City, as with
the libraries in the article, overdue fees amount to only 1% of our revenue. I
think that might be a fair exchange for the good will and positive PR. (I am
less confident my Board would see it this way.)</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>I do not think the public will see
it as "we don't need the money". Especially if your staff have a
consistent <b>Message </b>with which to respond. Something akin to "Fines
were never about generating revenue." </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'> </span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; border-image: none; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; border-image: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'>If I were to
eliminate overdue fines, I would do so equally for all my users (resident or
not). My question would then be, what about other library's materials borrowed
here, or returned here? My users might be confused as to why they owe a fine
for this book but not that when they are both late. On the other hand, should I
be waiving fines on your library's materials as a standard procedure, just
because the book passed through my library to the user?</span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";'> </span><br></p></div><span id="GWSignatureSent" style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; display: block;"><span style="display: block;"><br><span style="font-size: 10pt; display: inline-block; -ms-word-wrap: normal;">
<div><font face="Viner Hand ITC" size="4">David L. Ewick,<font face="Tahoma" size="2"> MLS, MS</font></font></div>
<div>City Librarian</div>
<div>Southfield Public Library</div>
<div>26300 Evergreen</div>
<div>Southfield, Michigan 48076</div>
<div>248 796-4300</div>
<div><a href="mailto:dewick@southfieldlibrary.org">dewick@southfieldlibrary.org</a> </div>
<div><span style="color: green; font-family: Webdings; font-size: 24pt;">P</span><font color="blue"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></font><font color="green" face="Tahoma" size="1"><span style="color: green; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 7.5pt;">Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.</span></font><font color="blue"><span style="color: blue;"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></div></span></span></span><span style="margin-bottom: 5px; display: block;"><br></span></div></body></html>