By Elissa Andre

Johnson County Library patrons checking out books, DVDs or other materials from any of our 14 branches no longer have to worry about the assessment of a fine for items returned after their due date. In addition, existing overdue fines have been removed from most patron accounts.

Last fall, the Johnson County Library Board asked staff to explore the impact of going fine-free, and at its April meeting approved a recommendation to no longer assess and collect overdue fines.

With this policy change, Johnson County joins in a nationwide trend of libraries going fine-free, including in Kansas City, Mo. and Kansas City, Kansas.

Johnson County Library’s revenue from fines has declined every year since 2014. For several years, the Library has sent regular due date reminders by email, which dramatically improved on-time returns. After accounting for staff time spent assessing and collecting fines, actual revenue totaled about $79,000 in 2022. That is less than 1% of the Library’s total budget, and that revenue reduction will not affect Library services.

Checkout periods have not changed; materials will still have due dates. The Library will also still charge fees for lost or damaged items. Once items hit 30 days overdue, a lost item fee will be charged to your account until the item is returned.

Data from other library systems who have gone fine-free show it does not result in longer wait lists or a big increase of overdue materials. In many cases, results indicate increased patron visits and circulation once the concern about accruing fines is removed. And we often hear from patrons who felt so guilty about a long-ago fine, they haven’t returned to see us in years.

Our staff are ready to help you understand what this change means for you – visit one of our branches, call us at 913-826-4600, or visit jocolibrary.org/finefree to learn more.

Elissa Andre is external communication manager at Johnson County Library