The Grafton Public Library is committed to equity of access and increasing library use in our community. Fines create an obstacle to library access that can be harder for patrons with low socio-economic status to overcome compared to other borrowers. Fines and interactions around fines on library accounts have a negative impact on borrowers and staff. Fine-free library initiatives aim to encourage library use and reduce penalties for overdue items.

Research shows that late fees are not effective in bringing back materials sooner. With the removal of fines, patrons will still need to return items, and will still receive reminders when a due date approaches and has passed. Further research shows that in fine-free libraries, borrowers return a greater number of items, and on time.

A 2019 survey of fine collection at the Grafton Public Library demonstrated that it costs more money to collect fines and fees than the revenue it brings in. Fines have not brought in significant revenue in the scope of the municipal operating budget, and the revenue generated is not returned to the public library.

As of September 2022, CW MARS member libraries voted not to charge overdue fines, and all general circulating material is fine-free, with some specific exceptions determined by local library policy. Please note that some libraries in the network are still working towards removing overdue fines, and patrons who borrow materials from different libraries may see overdue fines on some materials and not others. Questions on overdue fines can be directed to the owning library.

  1. Patrons will not be required to pay fines for overdue items. However, patrons will continue to be responsible for fees that accrue due to lost items. If the item comes back, the fine is forgiven.
  2. The Library policies for unreturned items still apply. This also applies to damaged or incompletely returned items, which will accrue fees as per the Library's discretion.
  3. Consumable items, such as copies or printouts, will still have fees attached.
  4. Due to the nature of time sensitivity for some items, museum passes, and some Library of Things materials will still have fines attached.
  5. In the absence of fines which would have been collected, a voluntary donation can be made to the Library gift account, the Library Capital Campaign, the Friends of the Library, or a local charity of your choice.

Should any patron be dissatisfied with the reasonable accommodations offered, they may follow the appeals process as outlined on the library's website, https://graftonlibrary.org.

Adopted by the Library Board of Trustees February 28, 2024