WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Following a decision made by the Wauwatosa Library Board, the Wauwatosa Public Library is eliminating fines on overdue library books for teenagers and adults who check out books at their branch.
This shift was made effective on Jan. 1, 2023 — four years after the library eliminated overdue fines for all children’s materials. Library leaders say their research found that late fees don’t have any direct correlation with the rate at which books are returned.
Wauwatosa library officials cited the American Library Association’s 2019 resolution that monetary restrictions attached to library services impose economic barriers that limit the groups of people who can enjoy its services. In turn, libraries across the country, including the Wauwatosa Public Library, began to shift away from overdue fees with the hope of making the public library system more equitable for people from all backgrounds.
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Since eliminating late fees on children’s reading materials, the Wauwatosa Public Library has seen a stark increase of usage within its children’s reading materials.
Existing overdue fees on young adult and adult materials are officially waived, and fees will no longer be assessed. However, people who damage or lose a book will still be charged. If you lost or damaged property of the Wauwatosa Public Library, you won’t be able to check anything else out until the fine is paid.
In turn, the Wauwatosa Public Library will cost an additional $24,000 per year from the city’s budget. This will come from a portion specifically allocated for the library in the first place, and will only cost an average of eight cents per month or 94 cents per year for the average property tax bill in the Wauwatosa community.
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