Are you a few days late in returning a book to the library? It’s fine.
The Augusta University Libraries will no longer be fining library patrons for turning books in late. The move was made to improve access to the university libraries.
“I am pleased that the libraries are taking steps to reduce barriers to access to information and resources for the AU Community,” said Brad Warren, Dean of the AU Libraries. “I also hope this encourages our students, researchers and faculty to take greater advantage of our collections.”
The decision to remove fines from libraries has been an ongoing trend in Georgia and across the nation. For instance, the Augusta-Richmond County Library system has removed penalties for public school students, and several other library districts have removed the fine structures in general.
Other University System of Georgia schools, such as the University of Georgia, have also done away with fines for most items. Removing fines has become more common as it removes financial barriers for library access and welcomes back patrons who previously did not use the library due to an inability to pay the late fees.
While being a few days late in returning books will not assess a penalty, fines can still be utilized if an item is lost or damaged. However, library staff is willing to work with patrons to replace those items if needed.
Under the new policy, the AU Libraries forgave $5,259 in overdue fines.
Recently, AU Libraries also removed Interlibrary loan fees under $75 for all AU faculty, staff, students and researchers. The policy applies to all requests from any provider outside the GALILEO system including international providers.
