Here in Randolph, we are feeling fine; fine free that is! That's right, by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees, the Turner Free Library has removed late fees on all traditional library items: books, DVDs, audiobooks, video games, etc. Removing these fines is especially important right now when so many Randolph residents have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also helps us to fulfill the Turner Free Library's mission "to serve the informational, educational, cultural, and recreational needs of all the members of the diverse Randolph community."
The library is continuing to resume its services safely and we hope you enjoy this fun video about how excited we are to welcome you back to the Turner Free Library!
Why go fine free?
You may have seen some articles in the news lately about other libraries going fine free and there are lots of reasons why it is good for Randolph! These include:
Randolph is Resilient: every Randolph residents deserves to have access to the programs, services, and materials they need to pursue their educational, career, and family goals and "there is mounting evidence that indicates eliminating fines increases library card adoption and library usage" (ALA Resolution on Monetary Library Fines as a Form of Social Inequity). We hope that going fine free will encourage new and prior users to come and check out what the Turner Free Library has to offer.
Overdue fines are ineffective: studies have shown that charging late fines doesn't make people more likely to return their books, but the "threat of accumulating fines for overdue materials...is keeping low-income families away from libraries" (Removing Barriers to Access whitepaper). Removing late fines is one way we can help those in our community who need the library most by ensuring that they are still able to use the library's services.
What this means for you:
You will no longer receive a daily late fine on overdue books, DVDs, audiobooks, or video games owned by the Turner Free Library
You are still responsible for returning your items
Most items that are overdue by 60 days or more will be considered lost and you will be billed for them. If you return the items, however, the bill will be removed from your account.
For any questions, please contact Library Director Elizabeth LaRosee at elarosee@ocln.org.
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