<html><head></head><body><div class="ydp571edf63yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><div>Thank you for taking the time to respond to my fine forgiveness questions. Below is a compiled list of responses, broken down between general amnesty and food for fines program. Thank you so much!</div><div><span><p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b>FINE
FORGIVENESS RESPONSES:</b><b><br>
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<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b>Angela Pike, Library
Director Sebewaing Township Library: </b>Our library has had amnesty week (fine
forgiveness) in the past. It was held in conjunction with National
Library Week in April. We did not forgive outstanding (past) fines, only fines
that were on items returned during the amnesty week. </p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcyiv8669412725msonormal" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Maryanne
Bartles Library Director Dearborn Public Library:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> In 2016, to celebrate the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary
of the groundbreaking of our main library (Henry Ford Centennial), we did a
major fine forgiveness program. Our goal was to get patrons back who were
regular library users but their fines were preventing them from using the
library. Here’s a summary of the rules which were approved by our Library
Commission:<br>
For the duration of the amnesty,<br>
·Waive accrued
fines up to $100<br>
·Not waive fines
unless the patron agrees to renew their library card<br>
·Not waive fines
for lost books unless the cardholder returns these books·Restrict the
eligibility for this waive to patrons currently eligible for a library card<br>
The amnesty period lasted
about 2 weeks. Patrons had to visit the library in-person to take
advantage of the program. LOL – I doubt patrons are waiting another 50
years for the next one. I think they realize it was a “special” program.
That doesn’t mean we won’t do it again – we just are not telling them it might
happen again. 475 people took advantage of the program. Our 20-month
report on those patrons indicate that 435 of them remain patrons in good
standing. Less than 10% never used their library cards again and about 5%
accrued significant fines once again. </span></p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal"><b>Kerry Fountain, Director Saranac Public Library :</b><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">
</span>We do fine forgiveness twice a year. The
first is during Library week in April. We forgive up to $20 per family in
fines- one card or many cards- we are small and it is fairly easy to keep track
of families. Since we are part of a cooperative, we only can forgive our fines,
nothing that has been interloaned. A couple of years ago we had some
people wanting to use this as a way to forgive damaged or lost books.
That we will not accept- fines only. We advertise it however patrons must
come in or call us to have fines waived. It really isn't abused- most
don't realize and it is a very happy bonus when they come in and we tell
them that we can waive their late fees!<br>
The second one we do is during
November and December. We do food for fines. Patrons bring in
canned, boxed or hygiene products and each product is worth $1 of fines. Again,
this is fines only and for this patrons do need to come in. If they bring
in a big item- toilet paper, etc- staff is allowed to give $5-$10 for the
item. All items stay in our community and are given to the local food
pantry. We actually have a lot of patrons who bring in food but still pay
their fine. They love having an easy drop off location for the food
pantry. Other than the couple of people who wanted to use this too for
waiving material charges, we have never had anyone abuse this. </p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcyiv2492540689msonormal" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mark Morton </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Director Leland Township Public Library:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> We did a fine
forgiveness week in anticipation of eliminating fines altogether in an attempt
to get some books back before doing away with the fines and while we did not
tell anybody the fines were going away, we still did not get a single taker for
the forgiveness week. We did not clear any fines at that time since we knew we
would be doing it later.<br>
I realize doing away with
fines is a bigger hit on the bottom line for some libraries more than others
but our loss of revenue was far outweighed by the goodwill generated by having
no fines. The real problem has always been with a few people that are
constantly overdue and the fines never proved to be a deterrent for them
anyway. The patrons that are a few days overdue by mistake are thrilled when
they hear they didn’t owe anything. We also keep a donation jar on the circ
desk and our donations have gone up because of it.</span></p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b>Devin
Erlandson (she/her) Assistant Director Allegan District Library</b> :We started a
Fine Forgiveness Week in 2017, I've attached our PR copy if you're interested.
We held it for one week (Mon-Sat) in October, and again this past October. We
encountered no major problems, mostly happy and surprised patrons. We forgave a
maximum of $10 and only on materials that had been returned. If a patron had
unreturned materials fines, those were not eligible for forgiveness. We did not
do a blanket forgiveness, but each patron who came in, who was eligible, was
informed up to $10 of their fines were being forgiven. We allowed people to
call in as well, though almost no one did this. Some people wanted to pay their
fines regardless, and we put that money in a donation box. I also turned off
fines that week in our ILS. </p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> We actually
ended up going fine-free on print materials with the start of this year. </p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b>Audrey Glass Department
Heads' Assistant Fowlerville District Library:</b> At the Fowlerville District Library we do a fine
forgiveness week once a year during National Library Week. We forgive fines
only on items that are returned during that week; so it excludes fines for
items returned in the past and fines for missing or damaged items.<br>
In general, despite putting it in our local
paper, social media, and website, most patrons do not seem to have caught on
that we do this each year; so we have not had any issues with people waiting
long periods of time to return items during this week. In the week or two
leading up to it, we tell people who have overdue items to bring them back
during that week so that they won't have to pay late fees on those items. It is
a huge incentive for them to bring the items back and helps us get back items
that might never have been returned otherwise. It also helps lower-income
families get back to using the library again. <br>
Patrons do not need to be
present to have the fines removed. For anything returned in the drop box, we
also check the accounts and remove any fines for the items being returned. All-in-all,
fine forgiveness week is well received by our community and appreciated by our
patrons. I hope this helps! Have a great day!</p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u> FOOD FOR FINE PROGRAMS</u></b><br>
<br>
<b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:black">Don Priest Southgate Veterans Memorial Library:</span></b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:black"> We held a Food
for Fines program last year, in association with the Gleaners Food Bank.
While that ran differently ($1 removed from fines for each item donated),
there's one caution I think still applies. Other, local libraries, part
of our consortium, asked that we not forgive fines for their patrons, or on
items that did not belong to us. If you're part of a shared system as
well, may want to ask and see what other libraries in the system think.
Hope that helps, that your forgiveness week happens and goes well!</span></p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b>Patty Braden </b><b>Director, Romulus
Public Library:</b> We do Food for Fines for fine forgiveness twice a year in the
spring and fall. It runs six weeks or so and supports our local food bank which
is good PR for the library and they greatly appreciate. We collect canned goods
and boxed food. We forgive $1 in fines for each item they bring in so it can't
be done over the phone. Some people may hold off paying fines until the
program, but we don't mind. In fact, we tell people they can wait and pay the
fine with food. It's good for the library, the food bank, and the patrons. A
triple win!<br></p><p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:black">
Another idea is to have kids
read in the library for fine forgiveness. Or forgive fines if they sign up for
summer reading. Google kids read for fine forgiveness for more ideas.</span></p>
<p class="ydpd6045cfcMsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:black"><br>
</span><b>Cindi L. Place Adult Services Librarian Boyne
District Library:</b> <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">We do this every December in
return for canned food and new toys for our Community Christmas baskets. You
could do canned, non-perishable food for a local food pantry?</span><br clear="all">
<b><br>
<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">James B Lenze, Director</span>
Garden City Public Library</b><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> :At Garden City, we have done “Food for Fines”.
Patrons may bring in items of non-perishable, non-expired food for our local
food pantry, and we forgive up to $1 in overdue fines per item donated.
We do not forgive lost or damage fees</span> We have encountered no problems.
The program lasts one month. It has not significantly reduced our fines
revenue, and it generates a small bit of good PR for us. We only clear
fines if they come into the Library with a food donation.<br>
<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> <br> M<em><font color="#845aa7"><strong>yla-Jean Stuart, Director</strong></font></em><br></span></p></span></div><div class="ydp571edf63signature"><p><em><font color="#845aa7"><strong>Comstock Township Library<br>PO Box 25 <br>6130 King Highway<br>Comstock Michigan 49041 </strong></font></em></p><p><em><a href="http://www.comstocklibrary.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><font color="#845aa7"><strong>www.comstocklibrary.org</strong></font></a></em></p><p><em><font color="#845aa7">269-345-0136</font></em></p><p><em><br></em></p><div><em><br></em></div></div></div></body></html>