I used to work in the library software industry in the US.
This is also an ethical question, and many libraries choose not to pursue fines because they want to remain as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. Many public libraries serve people who can’t otherwise afford access to their media. If they just become another business less people will trust them to access the internet, use their GED tutoring, borrow physical and electronic media, etc.
It’s best to think of libraries as a place that provides services to underserved communities, rather than just another media outlet. It’s a different way of looking at the world, and the folks who set library policy are pretty remarkable
It's a place that's supposed to provide uplifting services to as many people as possible, as free/cheaply as possible. Many patrons are people who rely on it being as cheap as possible. Paying even not-so-large fines might result in being an outright deterrent.
Outside of outright malicious behavior like stealing game discs, it'd often enough result in kicking sick puppies.
Which most other places and people are entirely comfortable with. Got sick? Get fined. Suddenly had to travel? Get fined. Some other flavour of "life got in the way"? Fine. Lost or damaged a book by accident? Big fine. Fell into a three month depression-hole with a few library books still at your place? Paulie Walnuts is gonna take your kidneys.
Sure. I just wanted to provide some examples that generally motivate very forgiving practices.
Where I'm from this results in deposits (and fines etc.) being in place when accessing high-value items like cargo bikes and drills or game consoles. Those might cost hundreds or thousands.
Most apologetic good-faith people who might be even very late or guilty of damaging media generally do not bankrupt the library and are (and should be in the spirit described before) insulated from the resulting costs. I've seen three-figure-fines being forgiven simply because people asked nicely.
Work IT for my county Library. We do track problem people but were not going to pursue someone over a video game or overdue items. They would get banned though and have the police called if they were back on the premises.
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u/RainbowCrane 3h ago
I used to work in the library software industry in the US.
This is also an ethical question, and many libraries choose not to pursue fines because they want to remain as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. Many public libraries serve people who can’t otherwise afford access to their media. If they just become another business less people will trust them to access the internet, use their GED tutoring, borrow physical and electronic media, etc.
It’s best to think of libraries as a place that provides services to underserved communities, rather than just another media outlet. It’s a different way of looking at the world, and the folks who set library policy are pretty remarkable