Local News
La Crosse’s library could end fines for overdue materials
Charging a fine for overdue library books is becoming a thing of the past.
A committee of the La Crosse Public Library meets today and could vote on the idea of going fine-free.
“The decision sounds as if it could come down to eliminating late charges on just children’s materials or eliminating late charges on everything,” library director Kelly Krieg Sigman said.
Krieg Sigman says fees for late charges amount to just 1 percent of the La Crosse Library’s revenue.
Those fees came to $25,523 for 2017, out of total revenues of $291,610.
Total expenses for the library system for 2017 came in at $4.04 million, well under budget for the year. Budgeted amount for the system for 2018 is slightly under $5 million.
The cost of replacing lost materials in La Crosse comes to about $10,000 a year but it can be covered under the library budget.
Some libraries block a user card if books and materials are not brought back after a certain period of time. Eau Claire is also studying the idea of ending overdue fees.