Brampton Library goes late fee free

The Brampton Library has permanently done away with overdue fines and late fees.

The library froze fines in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but last month the library board voted to approve the permanent removal of fines on overdue materials.

All late fees fines will be scrubbed from customer accounts by the end of January, but card holders may still be charged for returning damaged items or for holds that do not get picked up.

While the library would still appreciate returns of borrowed items in a timely manner, no fees will be applied to items that are returned in good condition.

Mississauga libraries have also recently scrapped daily late charges “in order to provide barrier-free and equitable access to all of our customers.”

Getting rid of fines help remove barriers to access according to Brampton Library CEO Todd Kyle.

“Fines are increasingly at odds with the Library’s mission, impacting those least able to pay, most vulnerable, and often racialized,” Kyle said in a statement.

Back in 2018, the library removed fines on children’s materials which led to a Minister’s Award for Innovation at the 2020 Ontario Library Association Super Conference.