At The Library: Cloquet Library News

Beginning Friday, Sept. 1, the Cloquet Public Library will implement “Free from Fines,” eliminating overdue fines.

This move aligns with the library’s mission and strategic plan. One of our main goals is to offer an open and welcoming environment without barriers, equally accessible to everyone in the community. Overdue fines are meant to encourage patrons to return borrowed materials on time. We are aware that fines are also punitive and act as a barrier, especially for those who benefit most from library resources and services. The goal is to remove that barrier.

Library materials are a shared community resource, and they still have a due date. You are asked to return or renew your items on time so that they can be available to other community members. Patrons will still be charged if items are damaged or if they keep them 28 days past the due date, when the computer system declares the item lost. Once these items are returned, the fines will be waived. Do you happen to have library books that are a few years past their due date? You can still return them, and you won’t be charged.

If you utilize interlibrary loan services, please be mindful. “Free from Fines” applies only to materials from the Cloquet Public Library. Each library has its own policy on overdue fines, and we are unable to waive fines from other libraries.

If you have five or more overdue materials, any fees from lost or damaged items, or more than $10 in fines from other libraries, you will be unable to check out materials or download e-books or e-audiobooks until they are resolved.

The bottom line is that you are still responsible for returning items, and we do want all items back in good condition so that our resources will be available to everyone. We hope this new policy will remove anxiety and barriers.

Any questions? Please visit our website for more information at http://www.cloquetlibrary.org.

Keiko Satomi is the adult services librarian at Cloquet Public Library.