To: Board of Supervisors
From: Cultural Services Agency
Meeting Date: August 3, 2021
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Department Contact: |
Deborah Fader Samson |
Phone: |
707-234-2872 |
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Department Contact: |
Barb Chapman |
Phone: |
707-367-8216 |
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Item Type: Consent Agenda |
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Time Allocated for Item: N/A |
Agenda Title:
title
Authorization for the Library to Continue Not Charging Late Fees until the Next Fee Hearing and Fee Schedule Adoption
End
Recommended Action/Motion:
recommendation
Authorize the Library to continue not charging late fees until the next fee hearing and fee schedule adoption.
End
Previous Board/Board Committee Actions:
Fee amnesty periods approved December 6, 2016: item 4p; June 6, 2017: item 4l; December 5, 2017: item 4s; November 6, 2018: item 4l; December 17, 2019: item 4g; approved no late fines for educator cardholders and agencies on January 7, 2020: item 4i; and fee amnesty during the COVID-19 response November 17, 2020: item 4l.
Summary of Request:
Mendocino County Library and the Library Advisory Board would like to continue not charging late fees for overdue materials. This would only apply to late item charges; the fees for lost or damaged items would still be assessed. Libraries have found that overdue charges affect young and low-income people to a greater extent and are an impediment to free and equal access to all. The Library provides multiple services such as job search tools and educational resources that are more accessible to patrons when they aren’t facing the stigma of debt. Staff would be able to spend more time on providing excellent customer service and less time on collecting fees. Patrons would still be responsible to return overdue materials in order to check out new items.
The Library received Board approval to waive late charges during the COVID-19 response, and the Library is continuing to waive late fees at this time. With Board of Supervisor approval, not charging for late materials would continue until the next fee hearing and the adoption of the new fee schedule currently planned for December of 2021.
Many library systems have discontinued overdue fees including Sonoma County Library, Sacramento Library, Contra Costa County Library, Marin County Library, Redwood City Public Library, Tehama Library, Yolo County Library and more across the State of California.
Alternative Action/Motion:
Not approve and provide further direction to staff.
How Does This Item Support the General Plan? It provides free and equal access to all residents.
Supervisorial District: All
vote requirement: Majority
Supplemental Information Available Online At: www.mendolibrary.org
Fiscal Details:
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source of funding: 6110 Library Fund |
budgeted in current f/y: Yes |
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current f/y cost: $0.00 |
if no, please describe: |
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annual recurring cost: appx. $35,000 less revenue |
revenue agreement: N/A |
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budget clarification: Revenue from late fees are not budgeted for this fiscal year. |
Agreement/Resolution/Ordinance Approved by County Counsel: N/A
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CEO Liaison: Cherie Johnson, Deputy CEO |
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CEO Review: Yes |
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CEO Comments:
FOR COB USE ONLY
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Executed By: Atlas Pearson, Deputy Clerk I |
Final Status: Approved |
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Date: August 4, 2021 |
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