The Seattle Public Library will implement new fines and fees starting Nov. 1.
The daily fine for an overdue book, CD or DVD will increase from 15 cents a day to 25 cents a day. The maximum per item late fee will be $8.
The daily fine for an overdue interlibrary loan (an item borrowed from outside the Seattle Public Library) will change from 25 cents a day to $1 a day. Maximum per item late fee will be $15.
The daily fine for an overdue reference resource will change from 15 cents a day to $1 a day. Maximum per item late fee will be $15.
The charge to print from library computers will change from 10 cents to 15 cents per page.
In addition, all accounts with a balance of $25 will be sent to a collection agency, including accounts for children and teens. A $12 charge is added to the account at that time. Parents of children age 12 and under will be notified when accounts become delinquent. Adults and teens ages 13-17 will be notified directly.
The library is implementing a total of $3 million in cuts this year due to the continued down economy. The Library has already cut operating hours, reduced the book budget by nearly $500,000, eliminated positions and shut down for a week Aug. 30-Sept. 6 to achieve the necessary budget savings.[[In-content Ad]]
