Beginning in June, people of all ages will no longer see fines accrue on children and teen print materials they’ve checked out from the Algoma and Kewaunee public libraries. Both libraries are following a trend with libraries around the nation to move away from requiring late payments. Algoma Public Library Director, Cathy Kolbeck, shares that overdue fines don’t work the way people think they do, according to studies. 

Kolbeck hopes this gets patrons they haven’t seen in a while back into the libraries. Kolbeck says studies show that libraries who’ve gone fine-free are still getting return items at the same rate. The American Library Association passed a resolution in 2019 that recognized fines as a form of social inequity and urged libraries to eliminate them. Kolbeck also thinks this will combat the “summer slump” that can be experienced between school years.