AVON — Town Administrator Gregory Enos and Director Elise LaForge are pleased to announce that the Avon Public Library will no longer be charging late fees for overdue materials.
The policy of not charging late fees is effective immediately, and existing late fees that were already due to the library will be forgiven as well.
The policy change was approved by the Trustees of the Avon Public Library late last year.
The move was made in an effort to make patrons more comfortable using the library/returning overdue materials without the fear of a potential financial penalty.
“Going ‘fine free’ will increase access and equity for our patrons, and it follows the trend of many other libraries across the state and country,” Director LaForge said. “We would never want anyone in the community to think twice about using our services or checking out materials due to a financial hardship, and we are excited to implement this new policy.”
Library patrons will still be notified when their items are late, and they will be charged if an item is considered lost or is returned in a damaged condition. The library encourages all patrons to return their materials on time whenever possible.
Nearby libraries that have already made the switch to eliminating late fees include those in Brockton and Randolph, and many larger library networks such as the New York Public Library have started to move toward making the switch as well.
More information about the Avon Public Library can be found on their website here.
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