New York City’s Three Public Library Systems Eliminate Late Fines

New York City’s three public library systems will no longer charge late fines on books and other circulating materials, eliminating a barrier to access and ensuring that all New Yorkers have free and open access to knowledge and opportunity.

Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library (which serves the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island), and Queens Public Library have become the latest and largest public library systems to close the book on late fines, joining other major cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami-Dade, Seattle, and Dallas to go fine-free. Combined, New York City’s systems represent the largest municipality to eliminate fines.

New York City’s three systems have also cleared all prior late fines from patron accounts, allowing New Yorkers to enter a new chapter of recovery and renewal with clean slates.

In an effort to welcome patrons back or to libraries for the first time, the three systems are holding a week of giveaways and special programs at all branch locations beginning on Monday, October 18. During that week, New Yorkers are encouraged to stop by, reconnect with their local libraries, check out materials, and return anything they may have at home—fine free. For more information on the week, visit the individual system websites.

The goals of this major policy shift (fines have been in place since the three systems were created at the turn of the 20th century) include encouraging increased usage of the library systems, as well as creating a more equitable system that does not disproportionately impact high-need communities. Under the previous model with late fines, patrons would have their cards blocked if they accrued more than $15 in fines. At the time of the announcement, about 400,000 New Yorkers would fit into this category, more than half in high-need communities.

“This announcement is another major step towards making our public libraries, the heart of so many communities, accessible to all,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Eliminating fines will let us serve even more New Yorkers, allowing them to enjoy all of the resources and programs that public libraries offer to grow and succeed.”

“Our public libraries and school communities work hand in hand to help students think critically, broaden their imaginations, and become lifelong learners,” said New York City Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter. “As an educator I know firsthand the power of equitable access to information and knowledge, and I applaud our public library partners for taking this critical step. Eliminating fines in New York City will benefit generations of children and help foster their love of learning.”

In the NYPL system, branches in high-need communities (median household income below $50,000) account for 6 times the number of blocked patrons as others. The 10 branches with the highest percentage of blocked cards are all in high needs communities, and each have one in five cardholders blocked. In the Queens Public Library system, the communities with the highest number of blocked cards—Corona, Jamaica, Far Rockaway, and Elmhurst—all have median incomes well below the borough average.

Similarly, for Brooklyn Public Library, the branches with the highest percentage of blocked cards are in neighborhoods where more than 20% of households live below the poverty level and most have an average median household income under $50K.

This trend is more pronounced for patrons 17 years old and under: about 30% of blocked accounts would belong to children and teens; in Queens, 65% of blocked accounts would belong to this group. In 2017, when a full citywide assessment was done of blocked cards, 80% of blocked youth cards were located in low-income communities.