CHICAGO – As a means of reducing barriers to library access, public libraries are increasingly eliminating overdue fines and fees. So, why do some patrons still fail to return borrowed materials?
In Fall 2016, more than 10,000 people in the City of Milwaukee, WI, had their overdue fines forgiven and their library privileges restored. However, within 90 days, 8% of those individuals had once again incurred fines or fees.