'Fines create barriers': Omaha Public Library looks to get rid of daily overdue fees City Council will hear public comment on the proposal April 20 Share Updated: 10:29 PM CDT Apr 16, 2021 City Council will hear public comment on the proposal April 20 Share Updated: 10:29 PM CDT Apr 16, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript ALEXANDRA: BOOKS LEAVE THE OMAHA PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCHES ON A NEAR DAILY BASIS. BUT THEY DON’T ALWAYS RETURN ON TIME THAT USUALLY EARNS YOU A LATE FEE. BUT THE LIBRARY IS LOOKING T CHANGE THE POLICY AND GET RID OF OVERDUE FINES >> PUBLIC LIBRARIES ARE HERE T HAVE FREE AND EQUAL ACCESS FOR PEOPLE TO INFORMATION. FINES CREATE BARRIERS TO THO ACCESS -- TO THAT ACCESS AND ESPECIALLY DISPROPORTIONATELY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOWER INCOME. IT’S NOT A TESTAMENT TO HOW RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE ARE AS MUCH AS IT IS TO HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE. SO WE JUST WANT TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS SO THAT ONCE AGAI THIS BECOMES AN EQUITABLE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES. ALEXANDRA: MARKETING MANAGER EMILY GETZSCHMAN SAYS THIS IS A TREND AROUND THE NATION. AND OMAHA MAYOR JEAN STOTHER HAS ENDORSED THE MOVE. PUNITIVE FINES TOWARDS PEOPLE THAT MAYBE DON’T WANT TO COME BACK IN, BECAUSE THEY CAN’T PAY WHAT THEY OWE. WE WANT THEM TO COME IN. SO THIS IS A WAY OF BRINGING THEM BACK IN. ALEXANDRA: GETSCHMAN SAYS TH LIBRARY HASN’T BEEN COLLECTING THESE FINES SINCE MARCH OF 2020 BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND THEY TYPICALLY MAKE UP A THIRD OF PERCENT OF THE LIBRARY BUDGET. >> WHAT WE’RE SEEING IN DIFFERENT STUDIES IS THAT SOMETIMES WE ACTUALLY WOULDN’T SPEND MORE MONEY TRYING TO COLLECT THE FINES THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY GET BACK IN FINES. ALEXANDRA: GETSCHMAN ALSO ADDS THERE’S STILL AN INCENTIVE TO BRING THE MATERIALS BACK. >> SO IF, IF MATERIALS DON’T COME BACK AT ALL, OR THEY’RE LOST OR DAMAGED, PEOPLE WILL STILL BE CHARGED A REPLACEMENT FEE FOR THOSE ITEMS. SO ONCE AN ITEM HAS BEEN OVERDUE FOR OVER 21 DAYS, THEY’LL BE CHARGED WITH THE REPLACEMENT F , IF THEY RETURN THAT ITEM THAT FEE GOES AWAY. ALEXANDRA: ALIZE SWOLLEY AGREES WITH THE MOVE. >> THAT MONEY REALLY DOES RACK UP WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY AWESOME. HONESTLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY DON’T USE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, A LITTLE BIT MORE. ALEXANDRA: AND SHE HOPES MORE PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS RESOURCE. >> I LOVE THE BOOKS. I HAVE A 2-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, SO THIS IS HOW I’M INTRODUCING HER TO THE LIBRARY IT’S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM THERE’S A LOT