{"id":2179677,"date":"2024-02-19T07:12:04","date_gmt":"2024-02-19T12:12:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/our-library-stopped-late-fees-so-i-stopped-returning-books\/"},"modified":"2024-02-19T07:27:15","modified_gmt":"2024-02-19T12:27:15","slug":"our-library-stopped-late-fees-so-i-stopped-returning-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/our-library-stopped-late-fees-so-i-stopped-returning-books\/","title":{"rendered":"No late fees at our library, so no more book returns"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Four-library-stopped-late-fees-so-i-stopped-returning-books%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2179677&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Libraries Abandon Late Fees: A New Era of Borrowing<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Libraries all\u200b over the country are\u2063 ending the longstanding library tradition of fining patrons for returning books late or not\u200c at all. It\u2019s another self-destruction tactic subtler and less morally abominable than using their dedicated taxpayer funds \u200cto \u200bpurchase pornography for children.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Our local government library ended late\u2064 fees in \u2064the \u200dlast year, so I quickly\u200d stopped returning books on time.\u2063 The lack \u200bof fees was especially helpful in \u200brecently allowing me to keep for an extra month\u2062 the book <em>Albion\u2019s Seed<\/em>. I couldn\u2019t \u2064manage \u200cto finish that magnificent tome in the usual three-week checkout period. So I\u2064 just kept ignoring the \u201coverdue book\u201d\u2062 notifications the \u2062library frantically sent.\u2063 If there\u2019s no penalty, why\u200c should I \u2062care?<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1927886182\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-06769376e9490f0b0c4099e0e6dd4919 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-06769376e9490f0b0c4099e0e6dd4919\"><\/div>\n<p>Common courtesy might be one reason. Someone else \u200bappears\u2063 to have placed a hold on our \u200clibrary\u2019s copy of <em>Albion\u2019s Seed<\/em> that I temporarily hoarded. That\u2019s why I kept it overdue \u2014 because I couldn\u2019t renew it. Sorry, stranger. Our library doesn\u2019t penalize people for keeping books indefinitely, so \u200bI guess your hold means nothing now. I won\u2019t begrudge you doing the same to the \u2064next \u200bperson who\u2063 wants to read\u2063 that \u200dabsorbing American history tome. It is 900\u200b pages long, after all.<\/p>\n<p>The American\u2064 Library Association\u200b \u2014 the same <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/04\/22\/amid-public-concern-about-grooming-kids-american-library-association-picks-marxist-lesbian-as-president\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">publicly funded<\/a> major library\u200b association whose <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/us-news\/american-library-association-president-marxist-lesbian-rcna98254\">current president is<\/a> a \u2064\u201cMarxist lesbian\u201d \u2014 formally <a href=\"https:\/\/publiclibrariesonline.org\/2021\/11\/ending-late-fees-a-case-for-equity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supported <\/a>ending all\u2063 library fees in \u20632019. Not surprisingly, the \u2062policy cited essentially Marxist justifications for urging all \u2064libraries to\u2063 end late penalties and book replacement fees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[T]he charging \u2063of fees and \u200dlevies for information services, including \u200dthose services utilizing the \u200blatest information technology,\u2064 is discriminatory in publicly supported institutions,\u201d the resolution ALA adopted says. The resolution is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ala.org\/aboutala\/sites\/ala.org.aboutala\/files\/content\/governance\/council\/council_documents\/2019_ms_council_docs\/ALA%20CD%2038%20RESOLUTION%20ON%20MONETARY%20LIBRARY%20FINES%20AS%20A%20FORM%20OF%20SOCIAL%20JUSTICE%20Revised%201_27_0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">titled <\/a>\u201cResolution on Monetary Library Fines as\u200b a Form of Social Inequity.\u201d It further states, \u201c[M]onetary fines present an economic barrier to access of library materials and services,\u201d and it \u201curges governing \u200cbodies of libraries to strengthen funding support for libraries so they are not dependent \u2064on monetary fines as a necessary source\u2062 of revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This\u200c essentially calls for unlimited public expenditure \u200don any material \u2064or service a library provides. Some \u2063might \u200bsay that\u2019s\u2062 not true because many libraries \u2062like those\u2064 in\u2064 New York \u2062City <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/03\/31\/nyregion\/nyc-library-fines-books-returned.html\">still charge replacement fees<\/a> for books \u2062that are <em>never <\/em>returned. Advocates of ending late fees claim that offering \u201cfee amnesty\u201d dramatically <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2021\/10\/07\/us\/new-york-public-library-fines-eliminated-cec\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increased <\/a>the return of long-lost library items by people\u200b who kept the\u200b materials to \u200cavoid \u200cpenalties.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-71e8d284543d2fc6134046a1baaabad0 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-71e8d284543d2fc6134046a1baaabad0\"><\/div>\n<p>But that only suggests an occasional,\u200b temporary\u2064 jubilee can\u200d be useful. It\u2062 doesn\u2019t recommend forever ending all\u2063 penalties against what is effectively stealing public materials.\u200d I suspect,\u200b based on my own experience, that ending late fees will also result in people\u200b keeping\u2062 library \u2064items out longer, depriving others of access to them \u2062for months like I did with <em>Albion\u2019s Seed<\/em>. And ending book <em>replacement\u200d <\/em>fees, \u200bthe \u200bfinal goal the ALA \u200bpolicy also calls for, will result in\u200b institutionally sanctioned theft of\u200d public resources.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If Late Fees Are \u2018Inequitable,\u2019\u200b So Are\u200d Replacement Fees<\/h2>\n<p>If \u2062there are \u200beffectively\u2064 no overdue\u2063 dates \u2063then when, \u200dreally, can the library say the book \u2064is lost instead of merely \u2064late? To impose a \u2064replacement \u200bfee for not\u2063 returning a \u2064book \u200cafter six months seems like just lengthening the period\u200b of overdue fees rather than fully eliminating them, \u200das the \u200dALA resolution calls for. And\u200d if there\u2019s no fee\u200d after six months, why should there be a fee after one year, or\u200d five, or 10?<\/p>\n<p>If\u200d late \u2063fees are \u201csocial inequity\u201d and an \u201ceconomic\u2063 barrier,\u201d \u200cso are replacement fees. The logical outcome of this idea would be \u2062to erase <em>all <\/em>fines, just as the ALA resolution states. This would \u2064make public libraries basically a tax-sponsored Amazon. If \u2063there were no replacement fees, anyone who wanted a book, puzzle, game, \u2062DVD \u2014\u2062 or\u2064 any other\u2064 item libraries\u200c lend \u2014 would merely need to be the first one to the shelves to\u200d own\u2064 a free taxpayer-paid leisure activity.<\/p>\n<p>If\u200c we\u2064 could also continue requesting that our libraries buy certain books, as\u200c I do\u200d occasionally, \u2063libraries would \u200cturn into \u200ca free-for-all of access to public book funds. Given that the people running this organization are publicly \u2064declared Marxists, that\u2019s\u200d almost\u2062 certainly their desire. It would allow them\u2063 to\u200d argue for bigger library budgets because so many\u2062 people want books and \u201ccan\u2019t afford them.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-bcf9949cd9873690ac1416d2db6051cb fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-bcf9949cd9873690ac1416d2db6051cb\"><\/div>\n<p>Econ 101: Supply affects demand. \u2064If\u200b it costs nothing to borrow a\u200c book,\u2064 game, or DVD without returning it, more people are going to\u200b borrow without returning \u200c\u2014 i.e., steal.<\/p>\n<p>Now, I have\u2064 strong\u2063 moral inhibitions\u2062 against stealing. I took a tiny mirror from a junk shop\u2064 as a child, and my \u2062mother \u2062made me return it to the store owner, a terrifying experience that forever cured me of\u200b taking \u200cother people\u2019s stuff. Having finally finished <em>Albion\u2019s Seed<\/em> as fast\u200b as I could, it\u2019s now back at the public\u2063 library.<\/p>\n<p>But many people\u2064 don\u2019t have the same \u200cmoral qualms about not only stealing but also inconveniencing\u200b other people \u200dlike I\u2063 did with\u2064 the person who put the book I had on\u2062 hold. Without any external checks on our natural selfish impulses, \u200dthe selfish impulses become action far more often. It\u2019s the\u2063 classic\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.econlib.org\/library\/Enc\/TragedyoftheCommons.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tragedy of the \u2062commons<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">This Is \u2064Why We Can\u2019t Have Nice Things<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s also another instance of degrading \u2064public places in a bigoted assumption that poor people just can\u2019t be expected to meet the standards other people can. It stoops to the \u2062level\u2062 of the worst-behaved in our society instead of maintaining high expectations for all.<\/p>\n<p>The New York Public Library president, aptly\u2062 named Tony Marx, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2021\/10\/07\/us\/new-york-public-library-fines-eliminated-cec\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claimed<\/a> that erasing\u200c fines aims to create a\u200b \u201cmore equitable society.\u201d Seattle\u2019s \u2063public library leaders said ending fines\u2063 was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2021\/10\/07\/us\/new-york-public-library-fines-eliminated-cec\/index.html\">especially beneficial<\/a> to \u201clow-income\u201d patrons. Why should public standards be \u2062lowered to the \u200clevel of the worst-behaved, \u200band the \u200bpoor just <em>assumed <\/em>to be worse-behaved than others?<\/p>\n<p>This \u2062is the same dynamic\u200c underlying \u2064libraries\u2019 slide into effective homeless \u2063shelters, allowing unpleasant vagrants\u200c to \u200dscare decent \u200dpatrons away \u2062because ensuring clean, safe, and non-threatening public spaces is\u2063 somehow seen as evil\u2063 and uncompassionate. The truth \u2063is \u200bthe opposite. The public square should not be controlled by disorderly people.\u200b Disorderly people should be required\u2064 to shape up to \u2064be accepted in public.\u2063 Rewarding rudeness,\u2064 incivility, and crime ensures it will continue to increase.<\/p>\n<p>Clearly, ending all\u200c library fees \u2063is\u200b not fair or practical. But that has never \u2062stopped cultural\u2064 Marxists. Indeed, illogic \u2064seems to inflame\u2064 their passions further, \u2063making them even more angry \u2062and committed to their \u200bcontradictory and nonsensical\u200b ideas like the Red Queen of <em>Alice In Wonderland<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-59c53aee2a823a6f45b136006486860f fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-59c53aee2a823a6f45b136006486860f\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can libraries address the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-claims-of-gentrification-cannot-stop-new-development-in-south-los-angeles\/\" title=\"Judge: Claims of \u2018Gentrification\u2019 Cannot Stop New Development in South Los Angeles\u00a0\">potential negative impacts<\/a> of abolishing late\u2063 fees<\/h2>\n<p><span>  G&#8221;>The Shift Towards Abolishing Late Fees in Libraries: A Discussion on the Benefits and Concerns<\/p>\n<p>Libraries have long\u2062 been an invaluable resource for communities, providing access\u2063 to knowledge and fostering a love for reading. However, the tradition of imposing late fees on \u2064patrons who fail to return borrowed items \u2064on time\u200d has \u2064been a contentious issue.\u200d In recent years, there has been a shift towards abolishing late fees in libraries across the country, sparking a \u2062debate on the effectiveness and consequences\u200c of such a\u200c decision.<\/p>\n<p>One of \u200cthe\u200b primary arguments in favor of eliminating\u200d late fees is\u2062 the promotion of equitable access to library resources. Advocates argue that late fees disproportionately impact low-income individuals, who may be deterred from borrowing\u2062 materials\u2064 due to\u200d the fear of accruing fines they cannot afford to pay. By removing this\u200c financial barrier,\u200d libraries aim to ensure that all members of \u200cthe community have equal opportunities \u200dto benefit from their services.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the decision to abandon late fees is often motivated by\u2064 a desire to foster \u200ca positive and welcoming environment within libraries. Late fees can create an atmosphere of anxiety and embarrassment for patrons, especially those \u200dwho struggle with \u2063organizing their schedules or face unexpected circumstances. By removing the punitive nature of late fees, libraries hope to encourage a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>However, critics argue that the abandonment of late fees may have unintended consequences. \u2062One concern is that it may lead to an increase in unreturned items, depriving other patrons of access to resources and straining library budgets. The \u2063fear \u2064of\u200c incurring fines has traditionally served as an incentive for patrons \u200cto return\u200b items promptly, ensuring a smooth circulation system. Without this deterrent, the \u2063risk\u2063 of theft or prolonged possession of library materials may rise.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the elimination of late fees raises questions about personal responsibility and accountability. Opponents argue\u200b that late fees serve as a reminder to patrons to fulfill their obligations and \u2062respect shared resources. By removing these consequences, some believe that it sends a message \u200dthat there are no repercussions for\u2064 failing to return borrowed items, ultimately undermining the principles of responsibility and community welfare.<\/p>\n<p>It \u200cis worth noting that the decision to abolish late fees is not without its complexities. Libraries must \u2064<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-cancels-6-million-barrel-order-to-refill-strategic-petroleum-reserve\/\" title=\"Biden cancels 6M barrel order for Strategic Petroleum Reserve.\">explore alternative strategies<\/a> to mitigate the \u200bpotential negative\u2062 impacts, such as implementing stricter \u200doverdue \u200ditem limits or employing \u2062more\u200c effective methods of communication\u200b to remind patrons of their responsibilities. Additionally, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-farmers-weigh-in-on-hardships-ahead-of-farm-bill-reauthorization\/\" title=\"California farmers express concerns about upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization.\">securing adequate funding<\/a> for libraries becomes\u2064 paramount, as the absence of late fees leaves a significant gap \u2062in revenue.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the elimination of late fees \u2063in \u2064libraries represents a significant shift\u2063 towards a more equitable and user-friendly borrowing system. By removing financial barriers and fostering a supportive atmosphere, libraries aim to enhance\u2062 accessibility and attract a broader range of patrons. However, the concerns surrounding increased unreturned items and the erosion of personal responsibility must be adequately addressed.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the future of late fees in libraries \u2062will depend on finding a delicate balance between promoting equal access and maintaining the efficient circulation of resources.\u200d As libraries continue to \u2064adapt and\u2064 evolve in response \u2063to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chuck-schumer-ditches-enforcement-of-dress-code-on-senate-floor-report\/\" title=\"Chuck Schumer reportedly abandons Senate floor dress code enforcement.\">changing societal norms<\/a>, it is crucial to consider both the benefits and potential challenges associated \u2064with \u2062this \u200dnew era of borrowing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Libraries nationwide are abandoning the practice of charging fines for overdue or unreturned books. This move, though less morally objectionable than using taxpayer money to buy explicit content for kids, is another step towards their own demise. Our local library also eliminated late fees last year<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":519,"featured_media":2179678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/27829361661_d895b1e9c6_k.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2179677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/27829361661_d895b1e9c6_k.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2179677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/519"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2179677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2179677\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2179678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2179677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2179677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2179677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}