Old Town library to reinstate late fees

OLD TOWN – The public library will be reinstating fines for overdue materials starting on Tuesday, June 1.

For the past six months, the Old Town Public Library has not charged fines on overdue materials while staff members were trained on the library management program called MINERVA.

Library staff also wanted to see if the return rate would be better if fines were not charged for late materials.

The staff now is trained to use the new system, but the overdue materials are not being returned at the same success level as they were before the suspension of fines.

At the request of Library Director Valerie Osborne, the city council voted May 10 to reinstate the fine system.

The city council also set the fee of 10 cents per day on all late magazines and books, $1 per day on all videos and DVDs, and 50 cents per day for all audio books.

If a patron has lost any item, they will be required to pay replacement costs plus a $5 processing fee. The fee structure is available at the library and on the library’s Web site at www.old-town.lib.me.us.

For more information, call the library at 827-3972.