CBC is reporting that overdue fines are coming to PEI libraries. For the longest time, we’ve been fine free, with charges only if you lost or destroyed the materials you borrowed. While I’m sympathetic to the “As a result, a large number of books are not returned on time, officials said.” problem, it makes me sad that the only solution to this is to align with the rest of the world. One would have liked to have hoped [naively, of course] that the honour system could continue. Sigh.
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Comments
The tiny amount of money
The tiny amount of money collected in fines, in small libraries around PEI, will probably cost more to handle than create any revenue. What I mean is that accounting for 80 cents takes more time and care than 80 cents. Why put the squeeze on procrastinating readers when the province went bust on tech?
Next there will be a tax on milk for golf course maintenance, or better yet user fees on medicine to fund new call centre development.
The Province of PEI is not an economic development agency, they are our government. They gamble and then we get the squeeze - they gambled the library fine money on business ideas that were more development at best, hype at worst.
I’ve actually had people lend
I’ve actually had people lend me books that they had out from the library. I think the main benefit won’t so much be a revenue stream for the libraries, but just that they’ll actually get their book s back in a reasonable amount of time.
I think most libraries find
I think most libraries find that handling fines is a hassle, but Al’s right, it is mostly an incentive to get books returned so that they have a wider circulation in the community. Some libraries have amnesty days during the year so that materials can be returned without penalty.
There is no doubt about it
There is no doubt about it that. I couldn’t agree more. I like it!
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