Join the Wave Goodbye to Fines
We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our ongoing advocacy for equitable access to library services: the City of San José has officially gone fines free for all age groups for the year! This momentous change means that San José Public Library users will no longer face late fines, removing a significant barrier to accessing the Library’s vast resources.
Why Going Fines Free Matters
Fines have long been a topic of debate in the library community. While they were initially implemented to encourage the timely return of materials, over time, it has become clear that they do more harm than good. People from all income levels incur late fines at about the same rate. However, late fines can disproportionately affect low-income families, children, and other vulnerable populations, creating financial burdens and deterring library use.
By going fines free, the City of San José joins over 270 library systems across the country, including our neighbors in Santa Clara County, San Francisco, and Oakland. This crucial step ensures that everyone in our community has equal access to the knowledge, resources, and opportunities that the library provides.
Our Role in Making San José Public Library Fines Free
At the San José Public Library Foundation (SJPLF), we have always been committed to advocating for policies that enhance library services and access. Our efforts to make the San José Public Library fines free have been ongoing and multifaceted:
- Consistent Advocacy: For years, SJPLF has been dedicated to the cause of eliminating library late fines. Our advocacy efforts have included research, community engagement, and collaboration with library staff and city officials to highlight the negative impacts of fines and the benefits of a fines-free system.
- Amplifying the Library and Education Commission and Friends Groups: The Library and Education Commission, along with Friends of the Library groups, played a critical and primary role in leading this push. Their collaboration and support were essential in our joint advocacy efforts, and we are proud to have followed their lead in this important initiative.
- Communicating with City Council Members and Speaking at Budget Hearings: We engaged in ongoing dialogues with all council members, providing them with research, statistics, and compelling stories from community members affected by late fines. Special recognition goes to Councilmember Pam Foley, who championed a pilot fines-free program for seniors, and Councilmember Omar Torres, who pushed for it be expanded to all adults this year. Their leadership was instrumental in building the case for a fines-free policy.
- Leveraging Our Community of Advocates: We mobilized our network of library advocates to submit public comments in favor of going fines free. The collective voice of our community played a pivotal role in demonstrating widespread support for this change.
The Impact of Going Fines Free in the City of San José
By removing financial barriers, more residents can take advantage of the library’s services, from borrowing books and accessing digital resources to participating in educational programs and community events. This change aligns with our focus of driving digital empowerment, enabling lifelong learning, building the workforce, and promoting diverse arts and culture.
However, this fines-free policy is only secured for this fiscal year. The urgency to expand our advocacy work remains, as we aim to secure a fines-free future for years to come.
Join the Advocacy Wave
It is important to understand the victory of SJPL going fines free this year in the context of an unfavorable budget environment that will persist for some time. San José is projected to face a deficit of roughly $80 million over the next five years, meaning that more cuts to programs supported through the city’s General Fund are likely to be proposed. Nearly 80% of the Library’s budget comes from the General Fund, and most of these expenditures fund staff positions in critical public services. For Library advocates, this means two things:
- We must significantly expand our advocacy work in the year to come.
- We must pace ourselves in the interest of enacting a prolonged, year-round advocacy effort.
We invite you to “join the advocacy wave” that SJPLF is growing. Sign up for our monthly advocacy newsletter, which offers educational resources and notifications about opportunities to advocate for important issues like fines-free policies. Together, we can continue to drive positive change and ensure that our library remains a beacon of knowledge and opportunity for all.
Thank you for your support and commitment to our mission. Together, we are making a lasting difference in the lives of San José residents.