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Butte County OKs library fine amnesty and one-year fine-free pilot after board shortens proposed period
Summary
The Board approved a September amnesty program and a one-year fine-free pilot for the Butte County Library after staff proposed a two-year trial; the pilot waives daily overdue fines but retains replacement charges for items overdue more than 30 days, and the amnesty requires patrons to contact branches to clear accounts.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 26 approved a library fine amnesty for September 2025 and authorized a one-year fine-free pilot program for the Butte County Library system, following a staff proposal for a two-year pilot.
Misty Wright, Director of Libraries, told the board the library currently charges overdue fines of $0.25 per day and has about 2,100 active patrons with blocked accounts owing $10 or more, including roughly 900 youth accounts. Wright said revenue from fines covered only about 10% of replacement costs for lost material and that increased hours and circulation had led to higher levels of lost and overdue material.
Under the approved approach, the library will run a one-month amnesty in September during which patrons may contact branches to clear eligible fines and fees; staff said the amnesty is not an automatic wipe and patrons must contact the library to have certain accounts cleared. The pilot removes daily overdue fines for the one-year trial but preserves replacement charges when an item is more than 30 days overdue; replacement charges are reversed if the item is returned.
Why it matters: Library officials and the board said overdue fines disproportionately discourage low-income households from using library services. Wright cited national examples showing increased returns and decreased lost materials after libraries went fine-free.
Board change: Staff recommended a two-year pilot; a supervisor moved to shorten the pilot to one year for an earlier evaluation and the board approved that amended timeline. The board instructed staff to proceed with the amnesty and one-year pilot and to bring back results after the trial period.
Operational details: Wright said patrons can pay replacement charges online or at self-checkout terminals and that the system will still print the library’s barcode and location on physical items, which aids returns. The amnesty will require patrons to contact the library to clear accounts, and the pilot will still charge replacement costs if items remain unreturned beyond 30 days.
Ending: The board’s vote was unanimous. The library will begin outreach to encourage returns during the amnesty month and will start the fine-free pilot in the fall; staff will return to the board with evaluation data following the one-year trial.
