Whenever I play around online to read book stories I always come across the same story over and over again. Fines.
People paying ridiculous fines for library books long overdue. The problem I have is that libraries need a better system to collect fines. I’d say take a page from Redbox. Swipe your card when you check out a book and once it’s overdue the library will automatically charge you until the book is paid for. Then it’s yours.
But seeing people pay $1500+ or 40 years’ worth of fines is beyond reason. There’s no point for that. Libraries have adapted their offerings, so why not adapt how they take fines?
What’s the largest fine you’ve ever paid for overdue library books? Mine is probably around $1.
Johnny Reads 
We do swipe at our library, and I have never in my life heard of fines accumulating to more that they paid for the actual book? That seems shady to be honest. Our libraries will charge you until you are basically paying for them to buy a new copy and no more than that. We also have the option to settle online, making it pretty convenient.
Another great thing our libraries implemented this year (that was sadly met with a lot of debate) was waiving fines for titles checked out to younger patrons. Many actually threw a fit over this. I thought it was very wonderful and encouraging. There are a lot of youth in our area that have to rely on public transportation when they can afford it or do not know when they can return to the library due to home life. Now they have the ability to continue to read without fearing consequences. Of course you can argue the downsides to this, but I will always uphold that the benefits win of it win over in my book 😉
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I think your library is leading the way of how libraries should be operated. I haven’t used my local library system in a few years, so perhaps they’ve implemented these things too. But I was reading today about a guy who recently paid 40 years’ worth of fines. Then there was another person who paid more than $1500, and I just don’t understand. I mean, maybe those only happen because it was in the old system of just waiting for the person to bring back the books? I don’t know. Just seems pointless. Also, I would be 100% for waiving fines for younger patrons. No doubt.
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Thanks 🙂 Yeah those fines are unreal and ridiculous haha. We do have a pretty nice system. We are lucky to still have wonderful funding for the libraries 🙂
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