It’s true – we are joining more than thirty other public libraries in Allegheny County to eliminate fines on library materials returned late!
Why is the Library fine-free now?
Simply put, fines keep people away from the Library! We understand that sometimes life gets in the way of returning your materials on time, and when that happens, we don’t want a financial barrier to stop you from accessing everything that the Library has to offer.
Do I still need to return my items?
Yes please! Items will still have due dates – when you’re done with something, please return it. Overdue items that are not returned will still be billed, but we’ll send you plenty of reminders about overdue items before billing you for them.
What about items from other libraries?
Items checked out at our library will not accrue fines, even if they were sent from another library as a hold. Items that you check out at a different Allegheny County library are subject to that library’s fine policies.
What if I already had fines?
Any existing fines have been cleared from your account!
Will the Library lose a lot of money by doing this?
Not at all! In 2023, income from fines made up a tiny fraction of our budget – less than 0.2%! We consider this a small price to pay for the community benefit of eliminating fines.
What if I still want to donate to the Library, in place of paying fines?
We will always gratefully accept monetary donations! You are welcome to donate online, or in person at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall.