FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 4, 2022
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
Prepared by: Library Director
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF JANUARY AS LIBRARY FINE AMNESTY MONTH FOR THE
SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ITS FOUR COUNTY -FUNDED
BRANCHES
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council adopt a Resolution approving January as Library Fine Amnesty Month for the Santa Maria Public Library and its four County -funded branches.
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to Municipal Code SMMC Sec. 2-13.02(b), the Library Board of Trustees may adopt reasonable regulations as long as they are reported to the City Council for final approval or rejection. At its meeting on May 11, 2021, the Library Board of Trustees unanimously recommended that the Santa Maria Public Library eliminate fines at the Main Library and its four County -funded branches, located in Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt. The Library Board of Trustees believes a fine -free policy will promote goodwill between the Library and the community, by removing an economic barrier, which inadvertently penalizes individuals and families with children who have or are afraid of incurring fines.
The Library Board of Trustees reaffirmed support for a fine -free policy at its meeting on November 9, 2021, and unanimously recommended the Library pilot the policy with January as Library Fine Amnesty Month.
DISCUSSION:
Libraries have historically charged fines as a motivation for people to return Library items on time. In 2019, the American Library Association (ALA) determined that library fines are a form of social inequity, because of the economic barrier fees present when accessing library materials.
Many patrons cannot afford to pay fines, and ultimately, stop returning to the library for fear of being charged. Monetary fines create a barrier in public relations and absorb valuable staff time applying, collecting, and managing fines. The California Library Association also supports the initiative to go fine -free.
Many libraries across the nation have started to eliminate fines. In California, some of the larger libraries that have adopted a fine -free policy include Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco Public Libraries. Locally, six of the seven libraries within the Black Gold Cooperative Library have eliminated fines. Santa Maria is the only library within the Cooperative to charge fines.
In keeping with the core values of the modern library system, the Santa Maria Public Library is conducting a pilot program and designating January 2022 as Library Fine Amnesty Month for its cardholders. Patrons may return any undamaged, overdue Library materials to the circulation desk at any of the branches in the Santa Maria Public Library system.
During January, the Library will track the number of returned overdue items and blocked patrons who clear accounts and are therefore able to resume use of the library. In addition to issuing a press release, a frequently asked questions webpage was created to address patron questions.
Alternatives
A decision to not approve January as a fine amnesty month is an alternative to this recommendation. The Santa Maria Public Library is the only library on the Central Coast charging fines. Additionally, library patrons have discovered they can return overdue items to other fine -free libraries in the Black Gold Cooperative Library system where the item will be checked in and the patron will not incur a fine.
Fiscal Considerations
If approved, the change will have little, to no impact, on the Library's revenues. Currently, fines at the Santa Maria Public Library are not a significant source of revenue, making up less than one percent of the Library's overall revenue, with an annual average of $11,891. The Library anticipates lost revenue from fines will be recouped with the value of materials returned to the library exceeding the amount of fines received each month. Additionally, the time Library staff spends collecting overdue material charges, along with the merchant fee for credit card payment of fines, creates an expense associated with collecting fine revenue. Staff time can be redirected to the provision of direct customer interaction and services, programming, collection access, and other more productive tasks.
Impact to the Community
The requested change will foster goodwill in the community, improve patron relationships with the Library, increase library card adoption and allow blocked patrons with overdue accounts, especially children, back into the library. There are currently 45,037 cardholders within the Santa Maria Public Library system, with 6,469 patrons owing $10 or more, and blocked from using the library's services. Approximately 1,920 of the blocked patrons are juveniles. With the approval of January as a fine amnesty month, the library will potentially become accessible to an additional 14 percent of its cardholders, by removing economic barriers to library and information services at the Santa Maria Public Library and its branches.
MARY HOUSEL
Library Director
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING JANUARY AS LIBRARY FINE AMNESTY MONTH FOR
THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ITS FOUR COUNTY -FUNDED
BRANCHES
WHEREAS, pursuant to Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 2-13.02(b), the Library Board of Trustees may adopt reasonable regulations as long as they are reported to the City Council for final approval or rejection; and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on May 11, 2021, the Library Board of Trustees unanimously recommended the Santa Maria Public Library eliminate fines at the Main Library and its four County -funded branches, located in Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt; and
WHEREAS, the Library Board of Trustees reaffirmed support for a fine free policy at its meeting on November 9, 2021, and unanimously recommended the Library pilot the policy with January as a fine amnesty month; and
WHEREAS, in keeping with the core values of the library system, the Santa Maria Public Library is conducting a pilot program and designating January 2022 as Library Fine Amnesty Month for its cardholders; and
WHEREAS, by adopting a fine -free policy, the library will potentially become accessible to an additional 14 percent of its cardholders, by removing economic barriers to library and information services at the Santa Maria Public Library and its branches.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, as follows:
1. Based on the American Library Association and the City of Santa Maria's Library Board of Trustees' recommendations, the City Council approves January as Library Fine Amnesty Month for the Santa Maria Public Library and its four County -funded branches.
2. The Chief Deputy City Clerk is hereby authorized to make minor changes herein to address clerical errors, so long as substantial conformance of the intent of this document is maintained. In doing so, the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any changes deemed necessary.
/1/
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, held this 4th day of January 2022.
Mayor
ATTEST:
Chief Deputy City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attom
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:�� /%/
Departure pOrirectol ' 'r"" -cycy
City Manager