King county libraries to wipe out late fees on May 4 under Fresh Start program
Saturday, April 30, 2022
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| Richmond Beach Library photo by Steven H. Robinson |
This one-time waiver gives patrons a fresh start on their account and enables access to all KCLS materials.
A Fresh Start for All was approved by the KCLS Board of Trustees on April 27, 2022.
The coronavirus pandemic placed many hardships on King County communities.
To help patrons, KCLS temporarily stopped assessing late fines in March 2020. The System also lifted electronic access on blocked accounts during this time so patrons could still download digital materials.
KCLS will return to pre-pandemic circulation practices on September 15, and will start assessing late fines again at that time. After their accounts have been cleared on May 4, patrons will have until September 15 to return items before late fines resume.
KCLS is also introducing a new automatic renewal service on September 15. KCLS will automatically renew holds for patrons if their items are eligible for renewal. This will allow patrons to keep their materials longer without accruing late fines. Patrons may opt out of this service if they choose to.
Late fines add up when a patron does not return library materials by the due date. Late fines over $25 lead to a blocked account. A blocked account limits access to library services, books and other materials.
Lost fees are different from late fines. If library materials are more than 30 days overdue, they are considered lost. A Fresh Start for All will not apply to these fees; under state law, KCLS cannot waive lost fees. On May 4, the System will begin processing lost fees again. KCLS will mail billing notices to accounts with over $25 in fees. Patrons will have until September 15 to return items or pay fees before accounts are blocked.
Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. In 2021, residents checked out 7.8 million digital eBooks and audiobooks through OverDrive, making KCLS the fourth-highest digital circulating library system in the world and the highest per capita in the U.S.
KCLS will return to pre-pandemic circulation practices on September 15, and will start assessing late fines again at that time. After their accounts have been cleared on May 4, patrons will have until September 15 to return items before late fines resume.
KCLS is also introducing a new automatic renewal service on September 15. KCLS will automatically renew holds for patrons if their items are eligible for renewal. This will allow patrons to keep their materials longer without accruing late fines. Patrons may opt out of this service if they choose to.
Late fines add up when a patron does not return library materials by the due date. Late fines over $25 lead to a blocked account. A blocked account limits access to library services, books and other materials.
Lost fees are different from late fines. If library materials are more than 30 days overdue, they are considered lost. A Fresh Start for All will not apply to these fees; under state law, KCLS cannot waive lost fees. On May 4, the System will begin processing lost fees again. KCLS will mail billing notices to accounts with over $25 in fees. Patrons will have until September 15 to return items or pay fees before accounts are blocked.
Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. In 2021, residents checked out 7.8 million digital eBooks and audiobooks through OverDrive, making KCLS the fourth-highest digital circulating library system in the world and the highest per capita in the U.S.
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