The change follows in the footsteps of numerous libraries in the UK and around the world, that have reported an increase in usage after removing the ‘barrier’.
The Guille-Allès stopped charging overdue fines for children and those over 65 several years ago, but has now decided to extend the abolition to all members.
Pictured: The Guille-Allès Library.
Anyone with library books lurking around at home – no matter how long they have been there – no longer need to worry and are encouraged to return the books when they can.
“We know the threat of fines was enough to put some people off using the library,” said Chief Librarian, Laura Milligan. “People might mislay some books for a while, then get so worried about the fines they’d have to pay that they would simply hold onto the books and never use the library again. By taking this step, we hope to remove that anxiety.
“We want to encourage as many people as possible to visit the library and see what we can offer them.”
By eliminating the administrative work involved in collecting fines, the library is hoping to free up staff who will then be available to work in other areas of the service.
The Guille-Allès has seen a significant rise in usage over the past few years, with visits to the library going up by more than 8% throughout 2019. Meanwhile, the number of new members increased by 13% and loans went up by almost 20%.