Windsor Public Library to stop charging late fees

Windsor Public Library in Windsor, Ont on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Gary Archibald/CTV News Windsor)

The Windsor Public Library’s board of directors approved ending late fees and will waive all outstanding fines.

The board approved the indefinite pause on late fees during its meeting Tuesday. Late fines were initially suspended in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ward 4 Coun. Mark McKenzie, chair of the WPL board, told AM800 News he hopes this will result in timelier returns, noting more people using the service rather than avoiding it due to late fees they might already owe.

“Sometimes when you get that late fee, you're almost embarrassed to bring that book back because you have to pay a fee. You almost just keep it and never bring it back but then you also never go to the library again," he said, speaking with AM800 News. "So what we're saying is we're going to eliminate those late fees. Sure we understand the book may be brought back a day late or something, at least you're going to continue to use the library and we're getting that material back.”

Inside a Windsor Public Library branch in Windsor, Ont., on Tuesday, March 3, 2015. (Chris Campbell / CTV Windsor)

According to a board report, the removal of late fines would mean a revenue reduction of about $65,000 annually. However, given recent budget surpluses and the fact late fees have not been charged for the last three years or so, it is not expected the elimination of late fees will result in a service reduction.

It is also estimated the move to digital materials such as eBooks and audiobooks (which have no late fines), present late fine revenue will have decreased since pre-pandemic

"We saw over the past few years that late fees were going down already. Just between 2018 and 2020, we saw a huge decrease in late fees. It went from around $96,000 to $22,000," McKenzie said.

The report also noted some public libraries that have eliminated late fees said it has had little impact on revenue and donations have made up for it.

Any outstanding late fees will also be waived.