For more information on our new Late-Fee Free policy, check out our FAQs below!
Why the change?
Late fees are widely recognized by professional library organizations as a form of social inequity. In 2019, the American Library Association passed a resolution which called on libraries nationwide to find a way to eliminate late fees. IPDPL is joining with libraries throughout the United States in heeding that call. Eliminating late fees is now a growing trend in American libraries and is resulting in both increased visits and circulation.
The ALA and others have conducted multiple studies that show that imposing late fees neither teaches responsibility nor motivates borrowers to return items on time. Instead, assessing fees makes patrons less likely to return to the library. Sometimes, even the idea that a late fee could be assessed is enough to prevent a person from registering for a library card and using the library in the first place.
The bottom line is that we want everyone in our district to use our libraries and their services. Removing late fees is one step we can take as an organization towards that goal.
If there are no late fees, what keeps me from not returning items?
Patrons should make a habit of returning items on or before the due date. This is not just the right thing to do, it is how libraries work. The public library model is based upon a trusting relationship between borrowers and a valued community resource. Library staff trusts that borrowers will return items on time so others may use them. Libraries that have removed late fees have reported very few adverse effects. In other words, patrons are still returning their materials on time, even without the threat of late fees.
How long can I keep borrowed materials?
Check-out periods for the different types of materials are:
- Print materials (books), Audio materials (Playaway books, digital audio books, books on CD, etc.) – 21 days with one renewal*
- DVDs, Magazines, Wireless Hotspots – 7 days (no renewals)
* Some items may not be eligible for renewal if there are outstanding holds for other users.
What is the difference between items that are just overdue and items that are lost or missing?
Though we are no longer charging late fees, there are still consequences if a patron never returns an item. At some point, we must assume the unreturned item has been lost. If an item is more than 14 days overdue, its status will shift from “Overdue” to “Missing/Lost”. Items that are “Missing/Lost” will have replacement fees assessed to the patron’s account.
When a patron’s account is billed for those lost items, no more checkouts will be allowed until the balance is paid or the items are returned. If an item is found after it has entered lost status, please bring it back! Replacement fees incurred will be dropped from the patron account and borrowing privileges will be restored.
What is the difference between Late Fees and Other Fees?
Late Fees are daily penalties assessed for the late return of library items. IPDPL is no longer charging late fees.
Other Fees still in force include:
- replacement fees for lost library cards,
- replacement charges assessed for materials that are not returned and deemed lost,
- replacement charges assessed for materials that are returned in a damaged state and determined to be unrepairable,
- any late fees assessed by another library for overdue items checked out at that location using an IPDPL-issued card,
- any processing fees assessed by another library for missing/damaged materials checked out from IPDPL through inter-library loan,
- library card fees for anyone living outside the IPDPL service area (non-resident card),
- or any charges assessed when a situation warrants referral to a collection agency.
You say that past late fees have been erased. Does that include all my previous fees?
For late fees, Yes! All patron accounts have been given the “clean slate” treatment for any outstanding late fees incurred at IPDPL before November 3, 2020.
Any previously assessed fees for missing or damaged items (or other fees, including late fees assessed by other libraries) will still be in place. An account with other fees in excess of $5.00 will have its borrowing privileges suspended. An account in suspended status will need to be settled (by either returning the items or paying the fees) in order to restore borrowing privileges.
How do I check to see if there are still fees on my account?
Patrons can check the status of their account at any time by visiting the My Account section of the IPDPL website at www.ipdpl.org. If there are any outstanding fees, they may be paid online using a credit card, or they may be paid in person at any IPDPL branch by cash or check.
If there are fees on your account which you feel are in error, please call (309) 921-5074 or email our director here.
Will this loss of revenue hurt the library?
The loss of revenue to the library is minimal, as the late fees collected in any given fiscal year make up a very small fraction of the library’s overall budget. We believe that the benefits of making the library more equitable and accessible to our community are more important than any loss of revenue from late fees.
If you are interested in making a monetary donation to the library, please call (309) 921-5074 or email our director here.