Fine Free for Kids

Virginia Beach Public Library (VBPL) has stopped charging overdue fines on accounts for children ages 0 to 17.

Removing overdue fines from youth accounts removes economic barriers to accessing library materials for children. VBPL wants to encourage families to return materials and continue using the library, regardless of their ability to pay fines.

VBPL has two other account types with no overdue fines: teen accounts, which children ages 13 to 17 may obtain on their own, and student accounts, which provide automatic digital library and computer access for all Virginia Beach City Public School students. VBPL will continue monitoring its collection and usage data and reviewing its policies, with a goal of removing overdue fines from all its accounts.

Additional changes toward removing economic barriers for VBPL customers include removing a $1 fee for materials placed on hold but not picked up. And, customers whose accounts are blocked from checking out physical items due to accrued fines may now access computers and digital resources.

VBPL is one of many libraries around the country to change overdue fine policies. The American Library Association (ALA), the largest professional organization for libraries, passed a resolution in 2019 stating that overdue fines are a barrier to equitable access and encouraged libraries to eliminate them.