REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Recommend Waiving of Library Overdue Fine Balances
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
In alignment with a national movement to enhance library access, the Santa Clara City Library, supported by the City Council, eliminated overdue fines for youth materials effective July 1, 2017 and for all remaining materials on April 18, 2023 as reflected in the Municipal Fee Schedules (Attachments 1 and 2). This policy change has been positively received by the community and represents a meaningful step toward reducing barriers to library use and improving equitable access to library services.
Separately, on December 13, 2024, the City Council adopted an Accounts Receivable and Write-Off Policy (Attachment 3), which outlines procedures for addressing debt deemed uncollectable. Under this policy, City Council authorization is required for any write-off exceeding $25,000.
DISCUSSION
The proposed waiver of outstanding fine balances for the late return of materials represent the final step in the City's multi-year effort to complete the effort to eliminate overdue fines. The elimination of fines incentivizes increased use of Library resources, most critically for those to whom late fines are effectively an obstacle to access. Additionally, all books with remaining overdue fine balances have already been returned, and as such, there is no impact on the Library's inventory.
The existing balances of fines for overdue materials on Library user accounts for books that have already been returned, however, were not waived when the elimination of these fines was approved by the City Council. This uncompleted step has led to confusion among users, unsure why their accounts reflect balances for fines that the Library no longer collects. In order to bring the process of eliminating fines for overdue materials to its final conclusion and address a source of confusion for library patrons, Library...
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