Some of the books date back to the 1970s.
Ever since the metropolis ’s three major library system ( Queens , Brooklyn and New York Public Libraries ) announced in October 2021 that late fees on borrow material would be canceled as part of a joint initiative , New Yorkers have felt more prostrate to stay by the rules and return all sorts of volume . So far , almost 100,000 al-Qur’an — a heap of which are decades onetime — have found their way home in libraries across the urban center , The New York Timesreports .
Some books are so older and dated that they had to be returned to unlike addresses . Others came with apologetic notes . " I ’m sorry for live with these ledger so long , " one note read . " They became family . "
The removal of late fee lifted a free weight off the chest of many New Yorkers , but a sense of embarrassment is still lingering . Billy Parrott , the director of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Midtown , toldThe New York Timesthat most book were pass by either mail or leger drop . But librarian wo n’t pass judgment anyone . " We just care about the Book , " Parrott said .
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The no - fee enterprise was the depository library ' way of attract patron back to the 200 arm across the city after a sustain sentence of pandemic - mandate limited hours and access . The initiative was a winner : In addition to the thousand of books refund , New York ’s program library witnessed a 9 - 15 % increase in returning visitant .
Prior to October 2021 , the pace for late fees for most borrowed materials in New York City was 25 cents a 24-hour interval , except for Brooklyn , where libraries were charging 15 cent . Children ’s books were instead priced 10 cents a day , while DVDs fee come to a few dollars . If a Holy Writ was n’t returned within 30 days , it would be marked as lost , and the program library would charge the patron a replacement fee . Anyone who owed the library more than $ 15 would be denounce and would n’t be capable to condition out materials any longer .
While late fees were profitable ( the New York , Brooklyn and Queens Public Libraries collected over $ 3 million in 2019 ) , they were n’t necessary . After Nashville , Chicago , Dallas and San Francisco libraries decided to relinquish former fees — and after the pandemic had New York freeze library fines — the Big Apple keep an eye on suit .
" We study that we could adjust our budget to do everything we needed to do and get across the lost tax revenue , because we ’re not in the revenue - bring forth business , " New York Public Library President Tony Marx toldThe New York Times . " We are not in the ok - aggregation business . We ’re in the encouraging - to - take - and - determine job , and we were getting in our own way . "
cancel late fee also intend taking into score the trouble faced by low - income community . " For those who ca n’t afford the fines — disproportionately low - income New Yorkers — they become a substantial barrier to access that we can no longer swallow , " said Marxin an prescribed assertion . " This is a step towards a more equitable society , with more New Yorkers interpretation and using libraries , and we are proud to make it happen . "
According toThe Washington Post , 400,000 New York residents had their library cards block before the initiative rolled out , as they owed more than $ 15 in late fee . More than one-half of those New Yorkers hold out in high - needs communities . " As New York wrestling with the unfairness lay bare by the pandemic , it is all the more urgent that we insure the public library is candid and freely available to all , " sound out Marx .
Without the mulct , citizen definitely feel more bucked up to frequent libraries across the urban center . " I ca n’t tell you how stressed out these fines made our customer , " Tienya Smith , a librarian in the branch in Long Island City , Queens , toldThe New York Times . " Not hold these fees erase all of that . "
